There's a New Monster in Japan Book 4
by Lavish22
Summary: After barely escaping from the Axlum, 'Shika' stumbles into Death Note. She's been in different dimensions before, but has never stayed long enough to drastically change anything. When L hears about Chief Yagami's encounter with a strange creature, he decides he must solve this new mystery. Temporarily stuck where she is, Shika decides to meddle a bit with things to her liking.
1. A Mad Dash

_**Damn, I sure do seem obsessed with this show, seeing as it's my, what?, 4**_ _ **th**_ _ **or so fan fiction for Death Note. I just have lots of ideas for it, I guess. Well, on another note, I wanted to introduce you to a series for once. It's not all about DN, in fact; only this book will be about that particular anime.**_

 _ **I've been trying to work this series out for a little while now. So, this is a Prequel, but it's based a certain ways into the books.**_ **'There's a New Monster In Japan'** _ **is probably the 3**_ _ **rd**_ _ **or 4**_ _ **th**_ _ **book in. Sorry if this confuses you, Readers, but you gotta deal with my crazy imagination and shit.**_

 _ **!HOWEVER! As this book goes, I shall be dropping hints about the other places the main character has been, including a few subtle lines that will point out which animes are involved later on.**_

 _ **Anyways, onwards and enjoy~**_

Chief Yagami sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. He was walking home. L –or Ryuzaki- had kept the Task Force later than expected.

"I'll die from lack of sleep, Lord willing Kira doesn't kill me first."

He was passing another street lamp when he heard what sounded like a person in agony. There were soughs and groans with the occasional wet splattering noise. It could have been a drunker, but being an honorable man, he wanted to help instantly.

Looking into a darkened alley, he saw a girl just inside the shadows. She had either black or brown hair that spilled over hunched shoulders as she sat on her knees, head almost touching the grimy ground. Her clothes were stained and soaked through, and she grasped her left shoulder tightly. Her hands, too, were covered in a dark substance.

"Ma'am, are you alright?"

Without replying, the girl coughed again. Blood sprayed across the ground just beneath her bowed head, and mixed with the growing pool of her own crimson.

Soichiro's eyes widened in horror. He ran to the injured woman, pulling out his flip phone. Placing his free hand on her unhurt shoulder for support, he dialed 911.

" _She.."_

Hearing the soft yet hoarse voice, Mr. Yagami returned his attention to the girl.

" _Shika.. Shikantso. . . . Leave.. Shikan..tso."_

Before the man could respond, he heard someone answer the line.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"This is NPA Deputy Director Chief Yagami. I'm at 880 Southwest Main Street. There's a woman here in need of medical assistance. Her left shoulder is bleeding profusely, and she may have some internal damage as well."

"An ambulance is being dispatched to your location, sir. What is your relationship to the woman?"

"I met her just now."  
"Okay. Is she still conscious?"

"I-I think so. She was trying to say something, but I can't understand her. She might be speaking another language. The only thing I can make out is 'monster.' She appears to be either American or European."

"Does she have any identification on her person?"

"Not that I can tell. She isn't wearing a purse or a jacket."

"Did you see who attacked her?"

"No, I didn't see anyon-"

Soichiro was interrupted, his phone falling out of his hand as he landed on his butt. A red handprint stained the front of his shirt. The operator began to call out over the phone, but was ignored.

The girl had shoved him away from her, face covered in sweat. She was panting heavily, obviously exhausted. A slight grimace cut across her features as she gripped her wound tighter.

"Go! Please, just leave," she shouted in Japanese. "I don't want.. to do it again.. Think of your family!"

He was shocked into silence. Even in her weakened state, the girl had managed to practically throw him completely out of the alleyway, while his phone sat underneath a dumpster.

"My family is WHY I'm helping you," he responded, standing himself up on his feet. "What would I hope for if someone found my daughter in your situation? Or my son?"

"No, go away! I can't..," she clenched her jaw in pain. "hold it back.. can't stop it.."

Soichiro began walking towards he, palms up to show he meant her no harm.

Closing her eyelids, the girl's body visibly trembled. It was as if she had hypothermia. Still, he advanced, taking slow, steady steps. He stood two or so feet away from her.

"P-please," she begged once more. "Just run.."

Silence. It grew so quiet that Mr. Yagami thought she had lost too much blood, and had passed out. She was completely motionless, so he took a half-step closer, concern deepening the lines on his features.

"Ma'am? What's wro-"

He let out a surprised yelp as pain shot up his leg. Looking down, he saw the girl's hand clutching his ankle, fingernails dug deep in his flesh with small rivets of blood that ran down his pants and mixed with her own. She lifted her head to meet his gaze.

His heart stopped, but not from a heart-attack.

He was looking into glowing red eyes. She smirked at his confusion and panic. Fangs protruded from her mouth, shining white in the darkness.

"Wh-what?!.."

Suddenly, her irises dimmed before turning into a chestnut brown. Terror that mirrored Soichiro's own washed over her expression. She struggled to pry her death grip off his leg, retracting her sharp claws.

They stared at one another, unsure of what to do and say. When the sirens and wails of an EMS could be heard, the girl quickly stood then flung herself in Mr. Yagami's direction. He froze, startled to see her hurling at him.

Before she plowed into him, however, she dashed left, missing by centimeters.

Since she ran faster than her physical limitations would have allowed, the ambulance arrived well after her departure, leaving a baffled Soichiro to explain what had just transpired to the paramedics.

L was NEVER going to believe him..

 _ **Woot woot! I'm pumped up for October! I get to go to Comic Con! This is gonna be the BEST birthday present yet! –but I don't really have**_ **good** _ **birthdays, so this is a first.**_

 _ **Whatevs. I still get to go. :P**_


	2. Rationalizing

_**So far, so good my readers. Things are going according to plan, I don't hate this yet, and I have a pretty good idea as to how this is gonna work. I know I've yet to update much, but I don't have the other stories back from my friend. Fear not, because she's giving me them back Friday.**_

 _ **Well, if she remembers this time. Anyways, onwards~**_

* * *

 **L:**

"Ryuzaki?"

"What is it, Watari?"

"Mr. Yagami is on his way up. He said it's important."

"Thank you," the detective said, lifting his finger off the speaker button on his laptop.

He took a sip of his liquid sugar that had a splash of tea. Whatever the reason as to why Chief Yagami was coming back so late at night –or early in the morning– had to be important. Usually around that time even Watari was preparing to sleep soon.

Not long after the brief exchange, Mr. Yagami knocked on the hotel door.

"Yes, come in."

The wary man stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. His entire being radiated exhaustion. His shoulders were slumped forwards, his hair sat messy, and his face sagged, displaying more wrinkles as he frowned. Walking stiffly, he took a seat in a chair opposite of where L was, who was currently holding a chocolate éclair.

"..I don't even know where to start," he sighed.

"The beginning is preferable."

"Right.."

* * *

"The paramedics wrote everything off as a 'stress-related episode,' but they couldn't explain what cut my ankle or who the blood belonged to. I wanted to believe them.. but those unanswered questions make me almost positive that the girl was there."

Thumb firmly inserted in his mouth, L gazed into his half-empty tea cup. They sat in silence while he thought things over.

"Hmm. . . There could have been a girl," he thought aloud. "The reason her irises appeared red could be contributed to a street lamp reflecting off the blood, and the hue was imposed over her natural eye color, especially since you say they returned to brown. That's Possibility #1.

"The 2nd possibility is that a homeless woman had begun puking in the alley, but the blood was not hers. You or the girl then startled an alley cat which ran off, swatting you in the process.

"Possibility #3 is that you did, indeed, see a girl bleeding. You tried to help, but the assulter was there behind you. He hit you over the head, took the body, and ran. You would have regained consciousness as the ambulance arrived. Since it was riddled in holes, your mind made up memories."

"But why isn't that the first one on the list," he interrupted.

"You do not seem to be suffering any signs of a concussion, you are not covered in dirt from laying down, and that leaves the question as to who or what injured your leg."

"Oh.."

"And the fourth –and most unlikely– possibility is that everything you have described actually took place. There _was_ a girl with eyes that changed red and back covered in blood who dug her fingernails into your ankle before running off at remarkable speed."

"And what's the likely-hood of these four in order?"

"Hmn.. 36%, 31%, 21%, and 12%."

Chief Yagami leaned back in the chair with his hands covering his face.

"What am I going to tell my family?.."

"I'd advise you not to mention anything."

"What," he asked, sitting up sharply. "You want me to lie to them again?"

"Sorry. I meant _everyone_. That includes the Task Force, your employers, friends, and your family."

"B-but why? Shouldn't we be looking for the girl? She could die from blood-lose!"

Licking some left-over chocolate from his finger, L set more sugar cubes in his drink.

"Of course," he stated in his usual monotone voice. "I will be looking in to this matter. Multitasking multiple cases is what my skill-sets have been adapted to include. I can assure you this matter will be resolved quickly and swiftly."

Soichiro wasn't exactly certain if he was supposed to be insulted or if L was just stating a fact. Being as sleep-deprived as he was, Mr. Yagami stretched and stood.

"Alright, Ryuzaki."

With that, the man left.

"Watari? I need the names of Americans and European passengers that arrived in Japan for the past month. Narrow the search to include only women of the ages 17 through 28 with hair that reaches at least to the middle of their backs. Also, keep hospital records from 11:00 pm today until 12:00 am Saturday. And use the same physical traits I mentioned before. Should anyone who flew in shows up within this timeframe, inform my immediately. Send me the files though the link that the Task Force cannot read."

"I will do my best."


	3. Worries

_**Whoo, yeah! This is my favorite so far –besides Witch Note, that is.–. Tell me how you like it if you want. If you have ideas, don't be afraid to let me know.**_

 _ **I made this fanfic because I kept wondering why people only go to 1 anime/show, so I decided to make a series about it! Should you want a certain anime for me to write about, please tell me the name. If I know it, then great! If not, I'll try to find out, but I might not use it. I have a couple in mind, though. One isn't even anime.**_

 _ **Anyways, onwards and enjoy~**_

 **Unknown:**

Laying on my back, I slowly blinked my eyes open. My hand went to grab my shoulder –the one that had been injured. It wasn't bleeding anymore, but the damn thing still throbbed, to my utter annoyance.

My gaze swept the area around me for danger out of habit. I never knew what –or _who_ – was watching me. When I was satisfied there was no threat, I sat against the tree I had been underneath.

"Okay, I'm not at the school, so I must have jumped shows again."

I pursed my lips. It's not like I knew what was going on with my life anymore, but I had been noticing patterns. Every time I open a Rip, I get tossed at random into a different world. So far, most have been animes, with one exception. I had watched or read about the places I've been to like movies, TV shows, Internet stories, series, etc.

' _Let me see,'_ I thought to myself. _'I.. I talked to someone last night. He was on the phone with 911. . . Chief of the NPA, Deputy Director Yagami..'_

"Oh, it's Death Note," I said with a triumphant grin.

. . . . . . . . . .

"OH... IT'S _DEATH NOTE_."

I flinched on the inside. I'd have to avoid Light and L, not to mention Misa, Near, Mellow, Matt, and FBI agents. There's also the Task Force, Takuda, Mikami, Sedo, Rem, Ryuk, and Watari. Standing, I shook my fists in the air dramatically.

"Of all the possible animes, and I end up in freaking DEATH NOTE?! Why couldn't it have been Hetalia or Oreni House Club?! I'D EVEN SETTLE FOR SAILER MOON, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!"

Falling down with my limbs sprawled out, I let out a giant sigh. This was NOT my week.

"Honestly, as if that blue-and-red-eyed bastard didn't ruin my good mood last night.."

That's when I noticed the intense hunger. My eyes were probably red, courtesy of the pure-blood asshole. The sun was setting, which meant I had slept through the entire day.

Slipping my hand into my hoodie pocket, I pulled out its contents. There was a zip-lock bag with Blood Tablets, my money from a kind ravenett who sort of traveled like I did, and my IPhone.

Placing the items back where they belonged, I covered my head beneath my hood. If I didn't disguise my appearance quickly, I would most likely be recognized if passer-bys are asked about me –I'm very paranoid–. I also had to hide my eyes as much as possible. If they started glowing red, there was no one who _wouldn't_ call me a monster if they spotted that?

There was one thing I desperately needed besides water: fingerless gloves. The black marks on the back of my left hand singled me out for what I was. It could pass as a tattoo, but that was a detail Mr. Yagami might remember. There was what looked like two parenthesis coming together like _⁽₎_ with an oval in the middle. Inside that was a lowercase 'y' that had pointed tips, and an 'x' shape that had one line cut in half.

Each one appeared after I left a dimension, so I was one short: the one for Vampire Knight.

Most of my cash was used for hair dye, dark sunglasses that I could barely see out of, black gloves, scissors, make-up, and water.

Did you know that ordering a coffee cup full of water will get you confused looks from the employees? The fact that it was after sundown, I was wearing big shades, and/or had newly dyed blue hair probably didn't help either.

So, there I sat, sipping my fake blood, thinking of ways to remain hidden.

Soichiro would have most likely told L about me, but there was no way to predict L's reaction. For a moment, he considered Shinigami existed at Misa's prompting until he dismissed it seconds later. I've considered Ryuzaki unpredictable at times.

And what about the Kiras? Could Misa, Rem, and Ryuk see my real name and life-span? I wasn't sure. I'm not exactly human –even more so now that I'm an F-ing vampire-. What would I be classified as? Could a Death Note kill me?

Furiously, I shook my head, trying to dispel my thoughts.

"First, find out where you are in the story-line. _Then_ think about who can cause you harm."

I held up my hand and waved down a man who worked at the register in the café.

"Excuse me, but do you know if anything's happened currently on Kira?"

"Huh?.. Oh, you mean between him and L?"

"Yes, exactly!"

"Well, there hasn't been much after L called Kira out on TV."

"Alright, thanks."

He walked away, and I drank some more. That means Raye Pember hadn't died, so Light wasn't under surveillance yet. A crazy idea was taking shape in my mind. If I could see the Gods of Death, I wouldn't have too many problems.

"The only way to see Ryuk is to touch Light's Death Note."

Nodding to myself, I downed ,y drink and stood up. I had to go on a little stack-out.


	4. Diving Into Hell

_**So, I wanted the last chapter and this one to be one whole one, but it was too long to post at the same time with my limited typing access, so they're separate.**_

 _ **I'm also making it as funny as possible, so if it seems the main character has multiple personalities, just know that she acts serious on the outside, but is nervous on the inside. This is due to events in the previous stories –which I've yet to write :P-. And I know I have different POVs – 1**_ _ **st**_ _ **-person and 3**_ _ **rd**_ _ **-person – because I have certain information that has to be portrayed. So, yeah. Deal with it.**_

 _ **Thank you guys for following/favoriting this. It means I'll keep going on. Again, any ideas or stuff, just let me know.**_

 _ **Anyways, onwards and enjoy~**_

 **Unknown:**

Have you ever slept in someone else's backyard? Doing so without a sleeping bag isn't something I'd recommend. It was a good thing I've done so before in pretty harsh conditions, counting the demons and all. But relaxing was out of the question. I've never been good at it, and now that I'm being hunted down, survival skills replaced most everything else.

After the sun began its climb through the sky, Light exited his house. A chill traveled up and down my spine, which worried me. I get the same feeling when the Axlum narrow down their search, but.. It was some-what different.

Deciding to take a risk, I crept over to the back door. Hopefully, my dumb luck would pull through for me again. If not, I'd end up in jail. I twisted the handle slowly before sneaking a quick peek inside. The place seemed pretty quiet, so I continued on.

As I made my way further in, I noticed there was water running in the kitchen, along with the sound of dishes being shuffled around. Sachiko was cleaning up breakfast.

It took all my will power to not leave, tail between my legs. Being confined in cells, cages, and getting strapped down were things I actively try to avoid, but I needed to touch the Death Note.

Tip-toeing, I went for the stairs. I knew this section of the house from the animes. Light's room was at the top. Man, was I grateful that they had carpet instead of hard wood floors.

Spotting the room I was after, I reached to open it until I remembered his signs he used to make sure no one went in. Looking around, I grabbed the paper slip, took out the lead, and memorized the handle's position.

Only then did I go in. Immediately, I picked out his ball-point pen, unscrewed the top, took out the inside, and then glanced down at the bottom of his drawer. Lifting the false bottom slowly so as not to burn my eyebrows off, I poked a single finger to the cover, and rearranged everything exactly where they belonged.

My heart raced a mile a minute as I silently rushed out of the house. My blood roared in my ears, but I allowed myself a small smile.

"Mission accomplished."

* * *

I needed a shady place to rest up, so I found the café I had visited last night. I again bought a cup of water and mixed in another Blood Tablet. To pass the time, I had pulled out the scissors and gloves, cutting off the fingers. When I finished, I tossed the scraps into a trash can.

On my way to my seat, the bell over the door chimed as someone entered the store. My skin grew cold and became covered in goose bumps as my hair stood up. I turned, fearing Zeke had found me.

Instead, to my relief, Light and Ryuk walked by. Only when he sat did I realize how screwed I was if he somehow would be able to point me out should we meet on the streets. There was no gawking at the Shinigami beside him. Soon, they'd notice me staring, but I couldn't stop! My eyes stayed on the God of Death. He could kill me in seconds.

My shaking hand tried to grab on to the table for support, but I wound up knocking over my drink, spilling the red liquid everywhere, spreading over the white booth. Luckily, a woman working there brought me napkins.

"Do you need help?"

"N-no. I can clean it myself. Thank you."

She nodded he head, yet lingered a little. She was still gazing at the thick substance. "Uhm.. Miss? I thought you ordered water. Th-that looks like.." She made a face as if unsure if she should say the proper words.

"Like blood," I finished flatly, lips curled slightly in amusement. "I did, but I added in this supplement called _'Blood Tablets.'_ They enhance blood flow, give you extra vitamins and minerals like iron and potassium, and give your body a shot of healthy things with a lot of fancy words. The name is supposed to be ironic or something of the like."

The woman glanced down at the mess with slight awe. I quickly saw what she was going to say next, aware of a grave mistake I had just made.

"Really? Do you know where I could find some?"

"Oh, uh.." I formed an excuse in desperation, but refused to let it show on my face. "Well, I wouldn't recommend them; they cause all kinds of side effects –lead poisoning, nausea, loss of appetite, nose bleeds, heart complications, and a compromised immune system. They're just about as addicting as cigarettes. In all honesty, they aren't worth taking. Sadly, I found this out AFTER I started taking them."

"Ah.. I-if you need a fresh cup of water, I'd be happy to get you one."

"Actually, yes, please."

We exchanged smiles and she took my cup with her as she made her way into the back of the shop. When I was positive she was out of sight, I sighed. I'd have to remember what I said. It was a good lie to have.

When a dark shadow fell over me, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Talking to the girl had pushed the two main characters out of my mind. Now, the raven-like Shinigami stood over me, his signature grin etched on his face. My shades made him appear like one big black blob, but still, I stared at him, mouth hanging open. I was face-to-face with a creature that could kill me in a matter of seconds.

"Huh," he said, voice just as gruff as in the anime. "A human who can see me. I didn't think that was possible. And look at your name! Your life-span was acting up, too, but it seems to have stopped. You're an odd human, aren't you?"

The lady came back, my cup once again filled. She set it down in front of me.

"Here you are," she chirped.

I gave her a tight smile, plopping in another pill. "You're a saint!"

"It was no problem."

"I've gotta run, but I appreciate everything you've done."

"No worries! Just promise to come back again."

I nodded my head and stood up. "Sure thing. Bye."

As I placed my hands on the door, I glanced back at Ryuk. He seemed fairly amused at this. Quickly, I hurried down the sidewalk, but I couldn't help myself from casting a look at Light through the window. He was glaring at the God of Death, then set his eyes on me at Ryuk's prompting. His facial features had been curious, calculative, and a little confused.

Ducking my head, I walked on. There was no way to sit things out now. Both the protagonist and antagonist knew about my presence here. And I was stranded here until my body adjusted to this world's wave lengths.

My only question at that point was what I should do next.


	5. Ding Dong I'm A Vampire! -

_**So, someone made a good point in the comments. Yes, most people wouldn't really worry about seeing Ryuk for the simple fact that he wouldn't kill you if you're entertaining, BUT the main girl can't stand not knowing who's around or is in hearing range. If she can't know everything and everyone, she freaks out. The Axlum made her paranoid. Make sense?**_

 _ **I've decided to start working on book one, but I won't put it up until this one ends. That may take some time, though.**_

 _ **And, just a heads up: I'm a little.. depressed? IDK, but it's making it hard to write. I had to redo Ch 6 because I felt like Light would never act that way. However, I will continue to post only 'cause how much you guys seem to like it. Let's get this rolling, shall we?**_

 _ **Onwards and enjoy~**_

 **Light:**

The hardest thing I have to get through it waiting. I wanted Ryuk to explain why that girl saw him, or sensed him, or whatever it was that allowed her to know he was around, and if she could connect him to me.

If so, I need to find a way to keep her quiet. Permanently.

She could have her own Death Note, and her Shinigami might have pointed Ryuk out. No, that doesn't make any sense. She wouldn't have reacted so shocked. Plus, Ryuk wouldn't have called her odd. He also said something about her name and death date..

Who is she? _What_ is she? Did she figure out that I'm Kira by just seeing Ryuk? Are there others like her? What if L got a hold of her? She's a large liability, maybe too big of a problem.

And what was with those pills? Did they give her the power to see God of Death? It was obvious they weren't what she had told the woman. Well, to me anyways. I'm actually mildly impressed with her acting, but she did take exaggerated breaths to take a small pause to think up excuses. A beginners move.

Her appearance was foreign, but that wasn't the only reason I suspected she wasn't local. Her sentences were on the slow side, choppy, and contained more than a few hiccups. Yet, as the conversation went on, her speech improved. That meant she had the capacity to learn.

Perhaps she could come in handy after all.

 **Unknown:**

I didn't know where to go or what to do. Light knew I saw Ryuk –or suspected such– but he didn't necessarily know I touched his Death Note. As far as she and Ryuk were concerned, I was strange, but human.

Which was good _and_ bad news. For those of you who don't understand the gravity of my situation, let me put it to you this way: Light has 2 choices 1) use me for his own purposes or 2) get rid of me before L finds me. Not to mention how L will react to Kira's new-found interest in me when he begins spying on Light. That would make him investigate. Since there are no records available pertaining to my existence, he'd quickly single me out as a suspect, an accomplice, and/or the creature Mr. Yagami encountered. Possibly all three of those things.

I need a plan, a back-up plan, and a _'fuck-it-I'm-desperate-as-hell'_ plan. The only advantages I had was my knowledge of the story-line, which will now vary seeing as I'm changing it by just appearing here.

Again, why the hell did I have to land HERE?!

It had dawned on me that there was no point in preventing the inevitable. One way or another, I'd be cornered and caught by a cat or a dog. Choosing the lesser of two evils, I rubbed my eyelids. They hurt from the sunlight even with my sunglasses.

"There's no hope of being a spectator now. I have to pick a side, do my best, and pray I'll live long enough to jump again. And I thought escaping the Axlum was difficult.."

 **L:**

Chewing his thumb, L read through the files Watari had sent him over the Kira case and the flight records. He didn't suspect the mystery girl of being Kira –he was not the type to permit himself to get injured, for he would have killed his attacker– but she could still decide to help him. It was only an 18% chance, but every outlet must be explored.

Even the impossible ones.

It's not like he thought she could be a _real_ monster –the color change was most likely a trick of the light– but the option must be excluded, so he had begun looking up myths from around the world. The description Chief Yagami gave matched that of a vampire best.

Hospital records indicated no woman was checked for a severe wound to her shoulder recently. That meant she had most likely bleed out not long after Soichiro had informed L. The running she did would have quickened the process.

Just as he was about to dismiss the case, Watari's voice came out of the detective's computer.

" _Ryuzaki,"_ he said. _"There's a silent alarm triggered on your floor."_

"Who is the intruder?"

" _..The cameras show no one, but the thermal imagine depicts a figure. It appears to be a person, quite possibly female. It seems as though it's approaching the room you and the Task Force are in."_

"Hmm.."

L pulled up the security footage, only to see an empty hallway. When he switched to the thermal imaging, however, he too saw a figure that matched a woman's body. It took its time at each door, pressing its head to the wood, listening in before moving on to the next. Finally, it stood outside his suite. Looking ready to knock, the body stepped back and gazed up at the camera L was watching out of, waved, and entered the room next door.

"Watari, please go great our guest. Tell her I will be over shortly."

" _Understood."_

 **Unknown:**

Some of you out there may be thinking that I'm pretty brave bursting out of the elevator and teasing L via cameras, but I wasn't as confident as I looked. I've been through so much, yet the thought of meeting L face-to-face scared the ever-living shit out of me. Even with the extra vampire package, I knew he'd torture me like he did Misa and Light should he see it necessary.

Kind of like what the Axlum did to me. Man, were they an ungrateful bunch.

As I sat on the couch, I was reduced to how I used to be back before Shun chose to screw with my life: I was a weak, normal teen that couldn't win a fight to save my life. I was Veronica instead, all of my powers forgotten. My leg bounced nervously, though the cameras would never notice such a clear sign of anxiety.

' _Calm,'_ I chided myself. _'You have to act bold. L's a master at spotting apprehension, and he'll use it to his advantage. If he thinks you doubt yourself, he could very easily exploit it. Adopt a cocky persona. Act like you know everything, like you knew the secrets to the world! Show him how useful you can be.'_

By that point, my little pep-talk eased my frazzled nerves. I could do this.

The door opened and closed. My head had turned so fast that it gave me whip-lash. Damn, so much for being aloof.

An elderly man stood there with a grandfather's smile. He wore an outfit that reminded me of a butler. Watari carried a tray with a tea pot, cups, and a bowl full of sugar cubes.

"How do you do?"

I nodded my head, closing my mouth so as not to look dumb. I was on edge.

"Your host will be here shortly. May I interest you in a cup of tea?"

"Oh, uh, just some water, please."

"Very well."

He set the tray down on the coffee table before heading into the built-in kitchen. I heard the water run for a bit and something ceramic or glass being moved before he came back, setting a cup in front of me.

"Thanks," I said, digging into my pocket and dropping a Blood Tablet in it.

Watari said nothing about, stood there with his expression of serenity, but his movements were unusually stiff. Never in the anime/manga had he shown this trait. I guess the fact I wasn't shown on the security footage made him unsure of what to make of me.

No one ever does.

We sat in silence until the door opened again. This time, I tried my best to seem bored. Mr. Yagami came in first, eyes flicking Watari's way before landing on me. With my dyed hair, huge sunglasses, make-up, and my hood covering the majority of my face, he didn't recognize who I was.

L came in behind him, features blank as they always had been. His cloths were baggy and wrinkled his hair a black mess. He wore no shoes, and he had shoved his hands in his pants' pockets. Onyx eyes locked on my hidden brown ones.

Taking my protective hood down, I took off my shades and sipped my crimson drink. Soichiro's pupils grew wide as he realized that he knew me. Placing my beverage on the table top, I grinned mischievously. If there was a time for cheesy greetings, this was it.

"Ding, dong. Anyone want to donate blood?"

"Why did you come here?"

"Why not," I answered, shrugging.

"If you will not state your intentions, I suggest you leave. We do not have time for foolishness."

"Did you know you're skin's pretty pasty? That says a lot coming from a vampire, you know."

"..Are you really under the delusion that you are a mythical creature?"

" _No_ , I'm not. I KNOW I'm a vampire."

"Obviously, you are clinically unstable. It would be wise to seek-"

L shut up as I broke a tiny saucer that sat, unused, on the tray, bringing a piece across my wrist. Blood welled up in an instant, a little dribbling to my elbow. Moving an eye off him and onto my wound, I felt my stomach lurch, anticipating to be fed, which sent my mouth watering. The coppery scent strengthened the hunger, so I grabbed my cup and gulped the rest.

All three men were looking at me. Mr. Yagami was terrified, Watari was wondering if he should get a towel or a stake, and L stared like he was examining a puzzle without looking at the picture for help. Of course the smell of fresh blood made my irises red. I was actually counting on it.

I let a few seconds pass to emphasize my point, and then I opened my mouth wide to reveal gleaming fangs. Licking off the crimson from my skin where the cut had been. The slice was gone now, already healed.

Crossing my arms defiantly, I raised an eyebrow. I began cleaning the rest of it off with a napkin.

"Well?"

"Are there more of you?"

Ryuzaki appeared animated with curiosity as if I were an exotic animal he was studying. His eyes were wide as he stepped closer to where I sat.

"Not here," I replied breezily.

"None in Japan?"

"Nope."

"Why," Mr. Yagami interjected.

"Because."

The questions ceased, but there was no mistaking their frustration. They could tell I wasn't going to tell them much of anything. How would I explain that vampires didn't exist when I just proved they were real? They'd want to know how I was turned, where at, etc. The best thing I could do was negotiate. I had something L wanted, and he was the only one who could let me on the Kira case.

I flashed a crocked smirk.

"BUT," I started with extra exaggeration to capture their attention. "We _could_ reach a compromise."

Standing, I adjusted my gray hoodie that reached down to my mid-thighs. He had to hear how much I knew about him, or he'd never let me get close to the investigation. He'd dance around my information until there wasn't a shadow of a doubt that I had, indeed, obtained his hidden life.

"And what would you propose?"

"I'll let you study me, and I'll answer just about all of your questions. You will have 24/7 access to me personally, and can run whatever tests and experiments you wish."

"What do you want in return," asked the police chief.

"You and L agree to include me in the Task Force."

"L is not here, so you must take your demands to him."

"Don't you DARE lie to _me_ , 'Ryuzaki'," I hissed, eyes narrowing into thin slits as I tried my best to look threatening. That wasn't much of a problem with fangs. "I know you're L, and that man is 'Watari.' I followed Chief Yagami here for a reason. If anyone could lead me to you, it'd be him. Besides, by the way you talk and act leads me to believe that you are not a proxy, and are, indeed, the real detective. In fact," I grinned. "I know your secrets you've been hiding. There's your name –and Watari's too- where you're from, some other important people's identities, so on, and so forth."

Mr. Yagami blanched, eyes wider than ever with his mouth hanging open. That was the fourth time I'd shocked/scared him. L, however, was not impressed.

"You claim to know very sensitive information, but I am not L, nor do I know where –or who- he is. There is also no way to uncover his identity, or those around him. You are sorely mis-"

I interrupted again, this time bringing my foot down on the table. It broke straight through the middle, collapsing and splintering like a twig. The ceramic cups and tea pot shattered on the floor. My glare hardened, and my features showed my aggravation.

"I _said_ DON'T LIE." My mouth curled in contempt as an idea took shape in my head. "Or, perhaps you'd like me to say your name aloud for Soichiro Yagami to hear? If so, I'll happily oblige, and yell it. The other Task Force members would also discover it because I will scream it as loud as I can. People in the lobby could listen, too." Batting my eyelashes, I made an _'I'm-innocent-but-not-really'_ face. I was really testing his patience now if I wasn't before.

Behind the steal walls that were his eyes, I saw a hint of apprehension. There was only a small percentage that I knew his real name, but it was still possible. So I was lying about following Mr. Yagami, but they didn't need to know that.

"Chief Yagami," he said while watching my reaction carefully. "Please return to the others, and say nothing of this. I wish to speak to her alone."

"Oh, uh.. Yes. Alright."

He slowly walked to the door, casting L a few concerned glances. Jeez, like I planned on hurting anyone. You yell out 'I'm a vampire!', and then suddenly people don't want to leave you in a room with anybody. How rude!

As he closed the door, L sat in the chair to my left so he was facing the window. The worry he had shown earlier was gone.

"You may continue."

"L. Lawliet and Quillish Wammy. Quillish runs an orphanage named after him called 'Wammy's', and that is where your successors live: Nate Rivers, Miheal Keehl, and Mail Jeeves. Roger Ruvie runs Wammy's while Quillish helps you, the top three detectives in the world, L, Eraldo Coil, and Deneuve."

I sat back down, folding my arms with a cat-like smile resting on my lips. He'd need a moment to register everything I had said, but it didn't take nearly as long as I had thought.

"No, that's not right."

"..Wait, what?"

"You are wrong."

Blinking in confusion, I tilted my head. I gave him a more scrutinizing look. Yes, that was the L I'd watched and read about. There was no mistaking him for anyone else, except maybe Beyond Birthday.

"You should be 100% positive if you are going to state a fact as rare as that." He stood, back to me. "Now, if you do not mind, I am needed elsewhere."

I stared as he left the room, leaving me with only Watari. Rolling my eyes, I picked up a pen and wrote down my phone number: _956-***-**** Secure Line –Fauxe._

"Asshole," I muttered under my breath. "Didn't even wonder how I knew to call him Ryuzaki.. Completely ruined my dramatic moment."

Handing the note to the butler, I pulled my hood back on with a friendly smile as I replaced my shades. One does not simply get mad at Watari.

"Here. This is the safest line in Japan. When he's ready to contact me, tell him to call the number."

"And whom shall I say it's from?"

"Fauxe. Shika Fauxe." I approached the door and looked back at him. "Oh, and let Ryuzaki know he won't be able to trace that back to me. I bet he won't find it listed, either. Goodbye for now, Mr. Wammy!"


	6. Spit Chapter!

_**This is just a Spit Chapter. It has nothing to do with the actual story-line, but I left my next chapter at my house, so I have nothing to type right now. Hope you enjoy, don't get confused, etc. This is when L and Light are chained together with Shika there.**_

 _ **Onwards and enjoy~**_

Shika sat in her chair, eyes staring blankly at the computer screen. L and Light where sitting to her right, also watching a screen full of information that they had to go through.

She was bored out of her mind and a little hungry. A slow smile spread across her lips. Why not mess with the two for a little while?

Light must have glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, because he seemed slightly worried for his life. A vampire was grinning evilly, white fangs protruding out threateningly all the while only sitting a few feet away from him.

"Uh, Shika? Why are you smiling like that?.."

"Oh, just imagining something," she replied flippantly.

He relaxed half a fraction. "Really? What about?"

L turned his head some, listening in on their conversation.

"Just thinking about how hungry I am, and how good the smell is."

"…What smell?"

"You know, all the sweets you've been eating. It's making your blood smell like candy. I'm wondering if it'll taste like sugar as well."

Both men stiffened at her comment. She exaggerated a deep breath, sighing softly and licking her lips.

"Honestly, my mouth is watering.."

Tilting her head dreamily, she rested her chin on the back of her hand. Occasionally, she'd cast a quick glance their way, always taking a second to lick her lips. Light was sweating nervously, wishing that Ryuzaki would send her away or get Watari to feed her appetite. How hard was it to buy bagged blood every week to keep her pacified?!

L, however, didn't act concerned, but Shika could also sense his unease. She had tried to take a bite out of him and Matsuda already, so it wasn't hard to see her attacking Light and himself at all. All it'd take was the smallest trace of blood to set her on them like a starved animal.

A few tense minutes rolled by, but she kept up the whimsical behavior. There was no way she'd pass up an opportunity to scare the crap out of L and Kira –even if he didn't remember it at the time–. She slid down in her seat, hunching her shoulders and grasping her arms to 'restrain' herself. She bit down on her bottom lip enough to cause her teeth to cut into her flesh, making a small trail of blood to drip down her chin.

On cue, her eyes blazed red, and she swung her face towards the pair. Her hair scattered over her shoulders, causing Light to flinch away. His hand slipped on the counter, which made him fall out of his chair, pulling L down to the floor with him. They landed in a heap, scrambling to untangle themselves fast enough to prepare for her to lunge at them.

Instead, she burst out laughing, clutching her side. Shika tilted her head back, cackling at their reactions and expressions. She'd pause for a moment, before taking another look at them, only to laugh more. Once she calmed herself down, she whipped away the red, and sighed.

"Oh, man. You should've seen it from my point of view! It was SO worth the wait. I mean, really! Like I'd actually rip out your throats just to drink your..sweet smelling, delicious.."

She trailed off, a faraway look settling over her face. She gripped her stomach, turning serious as she turned to Ryuzaki.

"But, seriously, I need food now. Where's Watari?"

She stood up, walking out of the room to look for the man, leaving them both alone in the room. Light shuddered, sitting back into his chair.

"Honestly, L, why do you let her roam about unwatched? I'm I more dangerous than her?"

"No, Light. She is a greater threat, but who would I assign to watch over her like I am with you? She could very easily kill the Task Force Members, Watari, you, and I in a blink of an eye. I would prefer no one be left alone with her for their own protection. Originally, I planned to keep her locked on her own floor like Misa Amane, but she refused. I would not force her to do things, for she could become angry. Women are already fierce when annoyed; I'd rather not see a vampire woman angered as such."

Light Yagami thought about this, eventually nodding in understanding. "I suppose you're right. I'd hate to see that too."

Going back to their work, Light strained his ears to listen for Shika's footsteps down the hall. He didn't want his back to her for one second if he could help it.

 _ **Hope you like it! If you want this scene in the story, let me know, and POOF! it'll be there.**_


	7. Light On The Truth

_**So, I'm feeling better –I think– so I'm writing better. This fluffing chapter, though, has been written, rewritten, and written for a third time. It may even still suck, but I have to get past it. If you have any suggestions as to how I can edit it or make it better, feel free to share.**_

 _ **Ugh, I hate it, but I'm just going to move on. Sorry if it sucks.**_

 _ **Onwards and stuff.**_

 **Light:**

By the time school let out, I had almost forgotten the girl at the café.

Almost.

Ryuk flew slightly behind me as I walked home. He'd been surprisingly quiet since this afternoon, save for the odd chuckle here and there. Once I evaluated our surroundings, I decided it was safe to talk openly, so long as I keep my voice down.

"So, Ryuk, only those who touch the Death Note can see the Shinigami it belongs to."

"Yeah, what about it?" A short pause. "Oh, you're talking about that girl."

I nodded, already as impatient as I thought I could be. Let's just say that Ryuk has a way of stretching my limits past my boundaries. His laughter made my blood boil, but I didn't rush him. He could still kill me, after all.

"Yes, very peculiar girl. She wasn't born with Shinigami eyes like that guy, Beyond something-or-other, yet she still saw me." I'd have to get _that_ explanation later. "What first interested me, though, was her name. It went through a few different ones, never staying on one long enough for me to read it. Her life-span changed as well. Every time she mentioned those pill things, it dipped down or went up."

"And what does that mean?"

"The hell if I know."

. . . .

I was going to have to hide all the apples in the house at this rate. Hardly anything he said ever helped me. It wasn't like I had much of a choice of making him leave when it came down to it, though.

"Can people who see ghosts see shinigami?"

"What's that? Psychics? Most of them are full of bull. Maybe only a handful can actually see deceased souls."

"But can they see _Gods of Death_?"

"Not that I'm aware of. But I'm not the one you should be asking, anyways."

"What does that mean? Should I talk to _another_ Shinigami?"

"Heh, heh, heh. Of course not. You should be asking _her_."

He pointed across the street. Standing under a street lamp stood a hooded figure, blue hair spilling out over her shoulders. Her round, black sunglasses obscured most of her facial features, as she tapped her black-boot-clad foot. It appeared she was waiting for us to spot her. She began coming towards us the moment I looked directly at her.

"You're that guy from the coffee shop, right?" She spoke better than last time, her accent almost completely gone.

Hesitating a second, I looked her over. There were no weapons that I could see, nor did it look like she was wearing wire-taps. By nodding my head, I caused her to grin widely.

"Hello," she said, waving at Ryuk.

He gave a short wave back. "Hey." He, too, scrutinized her before chuckling. "Your name finally settled. Interesting."

I pretended to have no idea he was there. Scrunching up my nose, I furrowed my eyebrows in a convincing manner.

"Who are you talking to?"

"To him," she replied, pointing to the God of Death.

"There isn't anyone there," I insisted.

"Don't try to deny it," she hissed, eyes narrowing. "I've dealt with enough bullshit for one day. I know you see him. He's the one who told you about me as I was leaving the shop, so stop lying to me!"

"I'm sorry, but…" My words froze on my tongue. The woman tilted her head, a slow smirk resting over her now victorious demeanor. "…His name is Ryuk. He's a Shinigami." Eyes widening, I stood still. Why had I just said that?!

She nodded her head, clearly amused. Ryuk cackled at the situation. I suppose he found everything funny.

"I should have warned you before hand: It's quite easy to get people to tell the truth. Sure, it takes a lot of energy to do, but we weren't going to get anywhere if you kept being stubborn."

"You _made_ me say that?"

"Well, duh."

"But how is that even possible?"

When she flashed me a playful grin, I saw the tips of her incisors. They seemed unnaturally long and sharp. There was an alarm going off in my head. For some reason or another, my basic instincts –which are buried inside every person– told me I should leave while I still had the chance. What was it that set it off didn't matter, though. I had to make sure she wasn't an issue.

"I want to make a bet."

I was taken aback. "What?"

"Well, I kinda need a way to make money so I don't run out any time soon, so let's make a bet. If I win, you give me 300 yen."

"..And if _I_ win?"

"Then I'll tell you my name."

"And why would I want your name," I asked.

"Because you can find out all sorts of things with just a name: An address, family, a birth-certificate; the works."

"And how will I know you aren't lying to me?"

"Then you tell your dad I stole the money from you, and get me taken to jail."

"But still, I stand to gain nothing from this bet while you get money. Is that really a fair bet?"

She groaned loudly. "Well, you could always test it to see if it's my real name."

"..How?"

"Google Search it, of course! Besides, you'll think you'll win this once you hear what the bet's over, anyways."

"What _is_ the bet?"

"I bet I can make my eyes change colors on demand."

". . . Are they hazel?"

"Brown."

"Really? Are you going to use color contacts?"

"No."

"..Alright," I said slowly. "But only if they change to a different color entirely, not just lighter or anything."

Grinning, she held out her hand. We shook on it.

"Deal. Do you happen to have a plastic pen or something?"

"Uhm.. I think so." Rummaging around, I pulled out a black ink pen. "Is this fine?"

She nodded. "Sure. Now, give me your hand."

"Why would you need my hand to change your eyes," I asked suspiciously.

"Because," she responded, rolling her eyes. "I just do. I promise I won't bite it."

Reluctantly, I extended my right arm. She grabbed my wrist, her skin shockingly cold to the touch. In her other hand, she closed her fist around my pen. It crunched noisily. When she opened up, the plastic was cracked, but the part that held the ink seemed unharmed. She let everything fall to the ground besides one jagged piece.

"Here we are."

I was about to ask why she wasted my pen, but the sentence hardly had time to form in my head. She had slashed the sharp side over my palm, leaving a long cut in which blood weld up from. There was no pulling myself away. Her grasp was too strong to break. There was a brief period where she stared at my cut, then she turned away, eyes tightly shut.

"Close your hand," she demanded.

"But why did you-?"

"CLOSE. YOUR. HAND."

My skin chilled and rippled with goose bumps once more. The way she had said that –with the undertone of desperation and slight fear– caused me to obey her. Immediately, her posture sagged with relief. She took off her sunglasses and opened her eyelids, looking straight at me.

Her eyes.. They were glowing red.

"B-but how.." There were no words for me to express my thoughts. What the hell WAS she?! M-maybe they really were just contacts. No one has eyes like that.

"I know, I know. Every human acts differently when confronting a vampire. Go ahead, take your time, please. Don't run off screaming."

She laughed, but I saw nothing funny. A vampire? They existed? But that's not possible. They're myths; stories meant to scare children. How in the world was she doing this?

"Oh, please," she remarked sarcastically. "I see what's going through your head. A fucking God of Death is standing a few feet to your left, and you think I'm not real? Humans! They're so closed-minded." Looking up at the sky, she blinked, and her orbs were now brown. She placed her glasses back on.

Ryuk laughed heartily. "I hear that!"

I turned on him in an instant.

"You knew?"

"Not really," he shrugged. "I just saw that her life span hadn't changed when she said that."

We both looked at him, expressions displaying similar confusion. He shook his head.

"I thought you knew. Back at the coffee place, your death date varied as you spoke to the lady there, but only when you were lying. Just now, it stayed the same, so you were telling the truth."

"Uhm.. That's something I didn't know about," she muttered, crossing her arms. "Does that mean you can tell if I'm being dishonest?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

A slow smile spread across my face. It was like having my own polygraph test. If I could get Ryuk to watch her numbers by bribing him with apples, I'd always know if she was trying to deceive me.

"So, vampires exist, then?"

"I do."

"Alright. So, what's your name?"

"Shika Fauxe."

"Wow, that's weird." Ryuk tilted his head to look at her better. "Your name does translate to Shika Fauxe, but your life span changed too."

I couldn't help but facepalm myself. So much for him being reliable..

"Light Yagami, why don't we play _'20 Questions'_?"

This sudden question took me by surprise. "What?"

"I haven't played that game in years, but it's a great way for people to get to know each other. Want to play it?"

"How will I know you're going to tell me correct answers?"

"Dude, did your brain drop out your ears? My freakin' LIFE will let you know."

"But it doesn't seem to work all the time," I countered.

She scoffed at me, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "Fine, whatever. I gotta leave now, anyways. Your blood is making me hungry. I'll come back another time. See yah around."

She walked off, disappearing into the shadows. Ryuk said one of the first intelligent things that he's said in weeks.

"Guess you better buy garlic. Heh, heh, heh, heh."


	8. Vampire Fever (filler)

_**Sorry it's been so long, but I've been RPing on some other site. Anyways, let's get started.**_

 _ **Onwards~**_

 **L:**

Raye Pember, an FBI agent, was dead, as well as all the others. Kira used him to gain access to all of their names and faces.

And what about those letters? They talked about Gods of Death. He could be using the terms as a comparison of their powers or literally. Initially, I chose the meaning that Kira thought of _himself_ as a God, a Shinigami, but.. If vampires exist, why couldn't they, too?

Vampires. I have begun researching anything from ancient texts to popular novels on these creatures to determine what to make of 'Shika Fauxe.' She chose a rather absurd allies, but it was quite fitting. She wasn't really human; therefore, her humanity is artificial, fake like faux furs, and I'm almost certain Shika is short for the Japanese word for 'monster', shikantso.

True to her word, I could not find a listing for the number she left. It was as though it did not exist, which begs the question: was the number unreal? Just another illusion like its owner. The only way to test this theory is to call it, but I would not do so yet.

First, I must figure out how she obtained all the data she had about me. Had Roger been bribed? Had Watari forgotten to delete a file? Or could vampires read minds, as some legends believe they can?

This is insufferable. There had to be a way to tell the facts apart from the fiction. Somewhere, somehow, there _had_ to be witness accounts, video tapes, something! Like Raye Pember's case, like the Kira investigation. Sort out the puzzle pieces to get an end result. Kira is childish, like I am. Pember had an envelope that was not found with his dead body. These were facts, and I can work with facts.

I just need one slip-up. Shika had to make mistakes. From our meeting, I could tell she was spirited and stubborn, but lacked in intelligence. Kira was smarter, maybe even Pember was.

But then why have I solved less about her than the two of them? If this continued, I might be reduced to agree to her terms. No, _time_. All I need is time. She'd turn up again soon. I just had to be patient. There wasn't the slightest chance I was going to contact her. Not for the time being.

 **Light:**

I got rid of Pember and the FBI agents. I wonder how much anger is being thrown at L because of this. It was lucky that Shika hadn't shown up during the time he was following me. That would have complicated matters, but I can't help but wonder if she somehow _knew_ he would pursue me.

It was rather convenient. If that's the case, then she may be more useful than I thought. L could never catch me with her helping me. She could kill him while making it look like a robbery or mugging if I can't use the Death Note.

He wuld die without me having to lift a finger!

But I mustn't be too trusting. She tried to lie to me. She might be making sure that I couldn't kill her.

Things are going according to plan for now. There has to be a way to scare a vampire to ensure she gave me complete compliance. Has she murdered people to feed? I'd have to punish her if that turns out to be true. She would endanger my new world, and I would not chow any mercy to a criminal. Mercy is weakness, and Kira is _not_ weak.


	9. Twilight Warning

_**Hm, you make a great point, animegirl. Fire would fit Shika. Honestly, I hadn't even considered what she would be able to do as far as vampire-wise. I've been neglecting my duties as an author. Thank you for the suggestion! I'll bring this in to play soon, don't freight.**_

 _ **Onwards~**_

' **Shika':**

While Light was under surveillance, I stayed away from the café. There was no need for L to find me around his suspect yet, not before his suspicions peak. Besides, he hadn't called me. I was too prideful to go and bug him. No way was I submitting!

Jeesh, I sounded like some kind of wacky girlfriend. I need to tone it down.

I didn't know how long Light was going to be watched at his house and all, which made me hang out by the park, bird-watching. My money was depleted, so I hadn't been able to buy water. It was a good thing water fountains and local bathrooms were free. You can only refill a coffee cup made of paper so many times before it falls apart.

What I _did_ do in my allotted free-time was find out when the Entrance Exams took place. All I had to do to find Light and L was go to the ceremony and wait by L's limo.

I was standing for a good two hours –if not longer– until students started spilling out of the buildings. In the sea of faces, I spotted Ryuk flying over the mass of unaware teens and young adults. Light approached, not noticing me until Ryuzaki called out to him as he was standing a short distance to my left.

"Hey, Light. It was nice meeting you."

"Light," I chirped, sounding nice. "Hey! You still owe me 300 yen, remember? I won the bet! Hm?" I turned to L. "Oh, hi, I don't think we've met. I'm Shika. You are?"

"He's Hideki Ryuga."

Light politely interrupted, standing halfway between L and I. L did great at keeping his facial features from displaying what he was feeling about seeing me there, opting for his usual bored expression. Light, however, was more of an open book, irritation shining in his brown orbs. Most wouldn't have spot it, but I'm well practiced at reading hidden feelings, except, it seemed, L and Shun.

God, I hated Shun.

Placing his hand in his pockets, Light pulled out some currency, counting before dropping it into my hands. Ryuga watched our exchange with mild interest. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw that occasionally, he'd flick his gaze from Yagami to me.

Grinning widely, I waved my hand tauntingly. "Bye! It was nice to meet you, Ryuga."

Ryuzaki hovered in his place for a moment, not bothering to acknowledge my words before getting into the awaiting car. He said something to Light before he was driven away by Watari. The prodigy sent daggers my way while Ryuk enjoyed the scene that played out in front of him.

There was little doubt that L would call me now. After all, I'm 'friends' with his only Kira suspect AND knew his real name. He'll ensure I don't inform Light that I know who he is.

I went to the park. Checking to see if Light or Ryuk were around –even though it was highly unlikely– I sat up inside a tree's branches for privacy. Not a moment later, my phone played _'September'_ by The Living Tombstone, so I answered.

"Tokyo State Mental Hospital; what's the patient's ID code?"

"Mr. Ryuzaki requests an urgent visit," Watari's scrambled voice said. "At sundown, please make your way to these coordinates."

I wrote them down on my palm. The place was close to the alley where Mr. Yagami found me. "Got it. See you then." I hung up with a soft 'click.'

I smiled to myself, pleased that he cracked first, even though L would most likely get even with me. As he said, he's childish and hates to lose. That was a trait he shared with Light and I both.

* * *

I arrived a little before the sun set behind the tall buildings, not wanting to keep L waiting. If I showed up late, he'd likely leave, using other means of contacting me. I don't doubt it'd be similar to the way they took Misa should he have trouble tracking me down.

Just to add to my 'mysterious vampire quality', I stood in the shadows of the alley I first came through, hoping he'd bring Chief Yagami with him. He'd flip shit when I jumped out at him.

The wait wasn't long. As the sun sank out of sight, a limo pulled up across the street. The passenger's doors stayed closed, but the driver stepped out. He was clad in a cloak and a black fedora. Instantly, I recognized him as Watari. He was so much taller like that, and appeared to have more muscles. To my disappointment, no one else exited the vehicle.

After hiding for a minute to give them time, I sighed and stepped into the dim circle of light cast by the street lamp. I cleared my throat to gain the butler's attention. He turned to face me then opened the backseat door. Nodding, I climbed into the car. Who cares about stranger-danger when you're a vampire?

It was dim inside, and the lights hardly helped with how tinted the windows were. The space was empty. L had sent for me so I didn't know where the hotel I was being transported to was located. What a big waste of time. If I wanted, I could follow my nose. Oh, well. No need for me to burst his bubble.

The drive was slightly longer than I would have liked, but I didn't complain. Sometimes, I enjoy stress-free silence. It enables me to think freely and make planning a lot easier. How was I going to act towards Ryuzaki?

Being as engrossed in contemplation, I hadn't realized we stopped until Watari pulled open my door, giving me a mini heart attack.

"Oh? Uh, sorry.."

We were outside a fancy hotel that did well to blend in with the other buildings around it. It was quaint yet flashy; in other words, right up L's alley. I followed the elderly man through the glass doors, and was instantly greeted with a hive of activity. People ran this way and that way, conversations buzzed, kids screamed and cried, and the phones rang, begging to be heard.

I covered my ears, face contorted with pain that shot through my head. Before I was turned, I had only experienced such acute and defined sounds one other time. Of course, then I had been a half-human-half-wolf demon. It had been a lot more tolerable in that particular dimension.

"Are you alright," Watari asked.

"Yeah, fine. It's just really loud.."

"Actually, this is quite calm. Just look at that man napping in his chair."

He pointed out a pudgy man in his mid forties who sat back, head on the wall behind his chair. He had pig-like features; everything from his gut to his squashed nose gave off a faint swine heritage.

"I see," I said, pursing my lips.

"Here," he handed me a room key with tap wrapped on the straight body and black numbers marked in sharpie. "Go to Floor 12, and find Room 632."

"Where are you going?"

"I will take a different route up."

"Oh, alright. See you soon."

We parted ways. He went to the stairs while I headed for the elevator. I got in and punched the button that had twelve on it, the doors closing shortly after. My eyes locked on the red numbers that changed as I rolled up. By the time it hit 5, my head grew foggy. I glanced down only to find my entire body trembling. Grasping my arms as if I were cold, I did my best to stand still, but failed to do so.

"Wh-what the he-ell?"

My legs gave out on me suddenly, and I collapsed to the floor. Desperately, I closed my eyes and slid into the corner.

"No.. Anyone but _him_. Please, not him.."

Delicate laughter filled the metal rectangle I was in. It was amused and yet warm, a mixture of superiority and admiration. Why did he have to show up now, right before I talked to L? My mental state could not handle three assholes in one day.

"What's so funny?!" I yelled at the air. "I'm five seconds away from ripping these doors open if you start taunting me again!"

"Awe," the voice said sarcastically. "I knew you missed me~"

"Yeah, about as much as South Africa misses snow."

"Don't be cruel. You know you're my favorite. Remember all that I've done for you? I gave you freedom –multiple times, I might add-, abilities –far more than you've discovered you possess-, advice, and company. It's because of me you're still alive."

"And it was _you_ who nearly got me killed repeatedly, not including the torture!"

"Oh, are you still upset about that little accident?"

"YES! I have every right to, and you know it. How would you feel if a crazy vampire took a bite outta you like you're some hamburger from Burger King? I'll tell you this: It was NOT pleasant! Now, come out so I can see you!"

The air shimmered and the elevator stopped moving. Everything adopted a mystical sheen. At about a yard-and-a-half in front of me, a mass of glitter solidified into a human body. All by itself without help from outside forces appeared a boy. He was tall and skinny with shaggy, emo-typical black hair that covered one of his eyes –which were like black onyx–, black pants with a metal chain connecting his front pocket to his back one, a gray Twenty-One Pilots shirt, red converse with black skulls, and a black jacket that remained unzipped. This was how he looked every time we met.

"Veronica Warrin, what a pleasure to see you in person again. Visiting your dreams and taking temporary hosts doesn't compare a personal conversation, does it?"

"Shun," I growled. "What makes you think I'd be happy to see you after what happened the last time?"

"Please. It wasn't THAT bad. Honestly, I think you complain too much, oujo-sama."

"I told you to stop calling me princess, damn it! And I'll have you know that my getting turned into a vampire was a direct result from you telling me to go and help Yuki, who WASN"T EVEN ON THE ROOF. You know, the place where _you_ told me she'd be!"

He held up his hands in a gesture of cease-fire, but by the easy grin on his face, I knew he was enjoying himself.

"Fine. I'll take full credit for that one. Think of it this way: I've given you an Ace in the Hole here! Not only did I shuffle around all of your old aliases to confuse the Shinigami; I have also brought you a gift. Feel free to thank me later~"

I let my finger do the talking for me, raising it in a rude salute. _'Up yours,'_ it said.

"Really, now, you don't even know what it is yet."

"If it's from you, I probably don't want it. Every time you 'bestow' presents to me, the Axlum pinpoint which dimension I'm in. I got here a few weeks ago, but still can't gain enough energy to Jump. Mind explaining that one for me?"

"That's quite simple. What are you right now?"

"Annoyed."

"Ouch, but not emotionally. I meant what type of _creature_ are you?"

"A blood-sucker."

"Yes," he said, nodding his head like a proud teacher. "Very good. And what have you yet to consume?"

". . . OH."

"Yup! You guessed it. As a new-born vampire, you haven't filled a basic need: Satisfying your hunger. How can you expect to be healthy when all you do is eat that artificial stuff?"

"But I drank a little of my own blood."

He rolled his eyes. "Silly girl. Have you learned nothing? If humans took a bite out of themselves every time they were hungry, they'd still die. No, what you need is fresh, warm blood. The really thick and savory crimson tha-"

"Are you TRYING to make me go psycho Level-E over here?!"

I attempted to shove the 'boy' over in frustration, but I went right through him. In a bright flash of sparkling light, he disappeared from sight. His voice echoed, disembodied and fading out more on each syllable.

"I'll give you your gift when you need it, oujo-sama~"

The elevator kicked back on, the lights once again changing to indicate what floors I passed as it rose up. The tiny shimmers had left, making the air less stiff. Shun may have left, but his appearance told me one thing: I would need his help soon, for the Axlum were on their way.

"Damn bastard.."


	10. Interrogation

_**So, I need ideas. I'm running low. Any suggestions are welcome, and will be considered. I give credit when it's needed, such as.**_

 _ **Also, an important announcement: I am putting this book on a temporary hold after this chapter. Don't hate me, but I think I should start over from the beginning. It'd make more sense that way. Once the 1**_ _ **st**_ _ **one is up, I'll make the 2**_ _ **nd**_ _ **, and so on. There's also a side book –I've decided it shall only be a few pages long- that has to do with Shika's best friend. Ch 1 of that is already up.**_

 _ **Sorry, and onwards~**_

 **L:**

I did not accompany Watari to collect Shika Fauxe.

I will admit that it was partially due to my injured pride when I directed Watari to contact her, but I found the situation at Light's ceremony too orchestrated. She appeared after I had revealed my being L to Light Yagami, almost like she was mocking me.

And how did she and Light get acquainted? Surely, she did not suspect him of being Kira. The natural reaction would have been to avoid him, but not only did they talk prior to that point in time, but she had placed a bet with him. It was as if she knew every move we planned before we've made them.

This uncertainty is what forced me to arrange our meeting.

 **Shika:**

I stepped out of the elevator, trying to control my temper. Shun usually liked to tease me, but he also did his best to make sure I'm looked after. I wouldn't be surprised if he was toying around with L's judgment so I could get where I wanted. It was still odd how much he tries to please me.

Checking each room number to the doors I passed, I spotted Room 632. I could hear muffled conversation in the suite across the hall. The temptation to ease-drop tugged in my gut, yet I resisted the urge to do so. Instead, I opened 632's door and stepped inside.

The interior was slightly different. There was no couch, TV, or kitchen. Two one-seat chairs sat opposite of each other, a circular table between them. Heavy drapes blocked the moon-light and the world beyond. The space was only 11 by 16 or so, not nearly as large as the rest were. The floors were blue carpet, the walls a creamy white, and the ceiling was the color of eggshells. A lone cup of water sat on the table.

I made my way over to the chair where the drink was, realizing that was where I was meant to sit. Reaching into my pocket, reality gave me a harsh slap in the face. My Blood Tablets were gone.

"God damn it, Shun!"

Taking a deep breath, I sank into the soft seat. A sigh escaped my lips as I understood what was going on. He wanted me to have blood so I'd leave. If he was going this far, then they must be closer than I thought.

Was it okay if I still felt like punching him in the face?

I rubbed my forehead. What was I going to do? Maybe I could get L to give me bagged blood? Probably not, unless Shun interferes. I'd hate to owe him more favors, but it might be the only way he'll agree to anything..

Ugh, why was L so.. _**L**_?

The door clicked as it closed. _Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear._

Even though he entered, I stayed immersed in my contemplation. Too many things needed to be put together before I could be comfortable again. The Axlum were around somewhere, I had to get blood, Ryuzaki remained unpredictable –to an extent-, Light was his usual psychopathic self, I still required a probable back-story explaining everything about me without actually telling certain information; the list went on.

"Thank you for coming, Miss Fauxe," L's monotone voice cut in.

Pulled out of my mind, I blinked a few times to refocus my eyes. Sitting across from me in the once-empty chair was the ravenette who was clutching a cupcake in one hand. His orbs were trained on me, seemingly bored to be where he was. At least they weren't any crosses in the room.

"You have yet to drink you water, and it is still clear. That's different from our last meeting."

There was a certain look in his eyes; it could have been disappointment of some kind.

"I swear, if that's holy water," I pointed to the cup, "I'm outta here."

"One cannot blame me for discounting –or proving- the myths surrounding you species. How is it that you differentiated it from regular water? The scent? Or does it bother your senses?"

"No, it's just the way you pressed the matter. I would've drunk it if you didn't act so transparent. I'm not stupid, you know. Besides, holy water doesn't affect me. Neither do crosses, churches, or sunlight. Well, it does hurt my eyes after a few minutes. That's why I prefer to keep my sunglasses on."

He bit his thumb and nodded.

"Let's cut to the chase. You called me here for a reason."

"Yes. Tell me: How long have you known Light Yagami?"

"Uhm.. I dunno. Keeping track of time isn't something I'm good at anymore. A few days or a week after I got here, I believe."

"How did you meet?"

"At a coffee shop."

"Why did you approach him?"

"I spilt my drink, which gained his attention. I left shortly after that, but met him again later that day. He was walking home from school, and I was taking a walk when I realized I'd seen him before. We got to talking, then went our separate ways."

"When, exactly, was this?"

"Uhm…"

"You've forgotten?"

"Yeah.. Sorry."

"I see." He didn't blink for quite some time, assessing my story at length. "You asked to join the Kira investigation. What's you intent in that?"

"Look," I sighed, a little peeved. "All I'm trying to do is pass the time until I'm able to leave this place. I need food, shelter, and something to keep me busy for the time being. Since this is where I ended up, joining the case is the most interesting thing that provides all of those needs. If I hadn't run into Soichiro Yagami, I wouldn't even be here right now."

"And how did encountering the Police Chief determine this?"

"I knew he'd tell you about me. I just wasn't sure how'd you take to having another mystery handed to you. You could have ignored it, or tried to work it. When I followed Mr. Yagami, I did research on him as well as his family. His son, Light, has a high ranking IQ, and he assisted in several police cases, so I decided to observe him. Once he noticed me, however, I knew that if you were looking for me that he could have put two and two together."

"That's why you came to me first."

"Exactly."

"What is your opinion of Light Yagami?"

I bit my lip to try and think up a way to sound observant without giving away a lot or sounding ignorant.

"He's smart," I said slowly. "Brilliant, even, but.. I found it rather coincidental that Kira's killing schedule started off like that of a student, but then changed drastically. Plus, I saw someone tailing him. I assume that was your doing?"

"That was an FBI agent, the one who died at the train station, to be precise. Continue on with your evaluation."

"Right. While I watched him, he appeared to be normal, yet he was _too_ perfect, for lack of a better word. He did nothing wrong, but Kira has been smart enough to evade notice so far. That's far more intelligent than your average student. Now, I'm no expert, but Light Yagami has all the qualities of someone like Kira possesses."

"Is that the _real_ reason why you approached him?"

Grinning sheepishly, I held up my hands in a gesture that showed I knew I was caught. "Fine. Yes, I began talking to Light because I suspected him of being Kira. I also showed up to the Entrance Exam Ceremony just to show you I was in contact with your suspect to get you to call me back. With all I know about you, my being close to him would have given you cause to make sure I wasn't helping Kira."

"I thought as much," he informed, standing up. "I will require you to not leave the premises of this hotel until I have determined my next course of action. You will have to stay over-night. I hope this is not an inconvenience to you."

"Nah, it's cool."

"Very well. Watari will escort you to your suite shortly. Should you need anything, use the phone he gives you. His number will be on your speed-dial. Refrain from leaving your room. I would not want you to accidently run into the Task Force Members."

I got to my feet and stretched.

"Got it."

He left the room, so I sat back down to wait. It didn't take long for the old man to come in.

"Pleasant to be acquainted again, Miss Fauxe. Here is the Burn Phone." He passed me a small flip-phone. "Please, follow me to your room."

"Okay."

We walked down the hall away from the elevator, stopping at the last room on the right side. The door number was 646. Watari held the door open for me, so I went in first. This was a lot bigger than the last one, with a total of five separate areas: a living room, a kitchen, a master bedroom, a large bathroom with a walk-in shower, a huge tub, and a luxurious double-sink besides the toilet, and a walk-in closet that could fit a room and a half of Cross Academy's dorms. All were furnished and fully stocked.

"Is there anything you wish for me to bring?"

Closing my mouth, which was hung open in awe, I shook my head politely.

"Not that I'm aware of."

"Very well. Your door will remain locked from the outside. Goodnight." He bowed and left me to my own devices.


	11. It's Back!

_**Author's Note: I think I'll continue on with this story, even though I'm not done with the other two. A lot of people liked this, so it'll be in progress starting tomorrow, though I might not update until the day after because I have to type it all out.**_

 _ **Just thought I'd let you know. Again, if you guess Shun's surprise, I'ma make your selected OC's dimension for Veronica –Shika- to visit. So get to thinking, readers! It'll end soon.**_

 _ **Alright. I think that's everything. Onwards~**_

 _ **P.S. Thank you, MickeyLOLgirl. I'll definitely use your idea.**_


	12. The Past Is Now

**Shika:**

I wish I can sleep without having nightmares. Well, they aren't really nightmares, just some memories overlapping and stuck on a loop.

Don't get me wrong, the bed was so soft, and the sheets, blanket, and pillows were devine, but my stupid brain doesn't know how to stop them from playing out. So instead of what _should_ have been the best night's sleep of my life, I had to deal with my own sort of hell, PTSD and all.

 _Faces and lights blur together before my eyes adjust to a dark room. I'm inside a metal crate with only the metal and myself for company. A woman speaks, but I don't need to think too much about that. Her words never changed. I sat in silence a moment until a door opens, blinding me by its harshness. Some figure walks in, taking out a rod of some kind. He touches the end of it to my cell, sending volts of electricity into my body. I twitch and convulse for some time, trying not to cry out in pain. Soon, he stops, and the woman's voice speaks to me again._

 _Things change. Now, I'm being wheeled down a long, white hallway. The smell of chamicals burned my nostrils as I fought against retraints. People chat about, not paying any attention to my feeble attempts to break away. I wans't going anywhere. We enter a room not unlike a hospital's ER. Needles and other tools sit orderly in one corner, a docter next to them. It's the woman who talked to me earlier. She smiles and whispers something in my ear. I stare at her, taken aback by them. She gives a sweet expression, before injectign something into my arm. It sears as it flows in my veins, speading slowly inside my body._

 _Again, the scene changes. Zeke is standing over me, and I'm tied down almost like the last time. He leans down like the woman had, and gently purred in my ear. That was all I understood before the pain started. It felt like an incision that stretched from the inside of my right wrist up to my elbow. Blood pooled, but was wiped away. He asks how much that hurt. Before I answer, he moves on to my stomach, cutting deep. Someone else asks me to stop screaming, and another barks at me to not black out as they hadn't even began the experiments yet. The voices run together, muffled only by my shouts. Tears traveled down my face in swift trails. Once they stopped pulling my organs out, I gasped in temporary relief._

 _Things flashed forward. Now my head was strapped down along with the rest of me. Some sort of saw was held up in the very corner of my eye. It set on my temple a moment before being forced against my flesh. More pain, awful pain. That's all they've done to me while they had me. Cut this off, pull that out, and see if it grew back again. For every time I healed, there were 4 more tests to go through. The wanted to know what made me different form them. Why they couldn't do what I did. I never told them about Shun, though. They'd just use me to get to him. I did owe him my life, and I intended to repay that debt._

 _Clips raced and blended into each other, going faster and faster._

 _In a sudden moment, it all stopped. All the activity reached a climax, before it haulted, leaving me in a black void. A slow light flickered off in the distance. It quivered, moving and brightening as a voice settled over the silence, calm and deeply smooth. It echoed around in the space which I'd been to before._

 _"Veronica," it said. "Do you want my gift yet?"_

 _"Shun?"_

 _"Do you want it?"_

 _"I want to sleep," I muttered, still feeling the effects of the drugs used in my memories._

" _. . . Very well. You shall sleep."_

 _"Huh?" was all I managed to get out before the inky void swalloed me into it. And I slept._


	13. A Different Kind Of Fever

**L:**

The detective sat in his seat, staring intently at his ice cream sundae.

Shika would undoubtedly be helpful if she worked on the case. After hearing her opinion and story, he decided to let her on the Task Force, but there had to be rules laid out. She couldn't hurt people to satisfy her stomach, there'd be no roaming around late at night, and she had to pull her own weight in the investigation. Of course, he already had a list forming in his head.

Should he let the others know about her? Obviously, they'd be working together, but could they handle the news of her kind existing? Chief Yagami already did, but maybe he would be the only one. The rest might become nervous, impairing their judgment. No, they'll not be told, then. He needed everyone focused and free of whatever stress that wasn't necessary. He'd simply warn them to be cautious with how they speak and treat her. She looked to be about Light's age, so they most likely won't acknowledge her as an equal.

What would he tell them? What would make her presence acceptable? He could say she was an old friend.. No, she wasn't the proper age for that. Another detective? Not very believable even though she'd proven to be observant.

Yes, that was it. That reason was logical. L ate another spoonful thoughtfully. Informing Shika wasn't optimal at this time, so he'd wait until tomorrow. What time would she wake up if she was usually nocturnal?

 **Shika:**

I regained consciousness after hearing a muffled conversation coming from inside my suite. Groaning, I rolled over onto my other side. It was six in the morning according to my digital alarm clock that rested on my nightstand. My room was hot and stuffy. Sweat made my clothes stick to my skin even though all I was wearing was a blue tank top, black shorts that cut off three inches above my knees, and one homemade black fingerless glove on my left hand to cover my marks. In an attempt to cool down, I threw the comforter to the floor, but was barely effective.

Why was it so hot? Last night, the room was freezing. The entire hotel had been cold.

With nothing else to do, I decided to see what all the commotion was about, not bothering to change for fear of melting. As silently as I could manage, I approached the door that divided the hallway and bedroom from the living room/kitchen areas.

Sure enough, Soichiro Yagami and L were sitting and discussing something.

"You can't be serious!"

"I assure you, I am not trying to achieve igniting your sense of humor."

"But she could hurt someone, or even kill them! What about our safety?!"

Opening the door without any noise, I stepped into the room, arms folded across my chest with a deep frown pulling the corners of my lips downward. I stood there a second, letting their argument continue before I cleared my throat loudly. They both turned to face me.

"Well, that explains why my ears are burning," I quipped.

"Impeccable timing," L remarked.

"Why? It's too early to be awake."

"You are to be introduced to the Task Force today, and you need to be informed about your false identity so you do not make a mistake that will endanger and/or compromise the knowledge of what you are. I would rather not add to their stress. If they exceed the level in which they have now, it could lead to physical harm as well as mental."

The Chief didn't seem thrilled by his words.

"And what's my mirage?"

"You are to be my relative. The reason why you are here is to help solve the Kira case as practice for your future career as a detective. I have arranged to assist you in reaching your goal, making you my apprentice. Do not answer personal question such as where you're from, how we are related, the places you've visited, and so on."

I nodded my head.

"Fine by me. Is that all?"

"If you are to stay here, you must also abide by the rules I am setting: One, you cannot tell anyone else of what you are. Two, harming individuals is prohibited. Should you do so, regardless of lack of control, we have the right to take necessary actions to restrain you for as long as I see fit. Three, you must partake in advancing the investigation. Free-loading will not be permitted. Four, you will do as Watari, Chief Yagami, and myself instruct you to do no matter what that may be. Five, sleeping during the day is not acceptable. You'll have to use a diurnal schedule. Six, leaving the hotel in which we are staying at is not allowed. You must ask beforehand. Seven, should I see fit, I can exclude information I feel you do not need to know. Eight, I can drop you from the case at any time at any point in time. There will be no warnings or second chances. Are the rules clear?"

"Yes. Does that mean I'm in?"

"Only if you agree to my conditions."

"I already said I would."

"You have not yet heard my _conditions_ , but you have listened to my _rules_."

"..Aren't those the same thing?"

"No. My conditions are as follows: You will give two vials of blood on Tuesdays and Fridays for examining. I will observe your habits from sleeping to keeping yourself entertained to eating. You will test which electronic devices can work on and around your person. Assuming you are not going to respond to questions about your origin, you will have to comply in other aspects i.e. ranking range of abilities, underground orchestrations and front organizations."

". . . That's a lot."

Chief Yagami made a soft grunt in agreement.

"Will any of these be a problem?"

"No," I sighed, re-crossing my arms. "I'll do it, but can you do one thing for me in return?"

L tilted his head in curiosity. He was probably surprised I didn't want more than that, but he probably knew where I was going with it.

"I need blood, fresh or not. I ran out of my supply, and there's no way for me to get more. If I'm going to function around humans, my stomach has to be full."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

Mr. Yagami and I stared at him, our shock evident. Did he just refuse to give a vampire blood, especially one that was going to live with him? Did he have a death wish or something that was failed to be mentioned in the series?

"But why not? Are you saying I have to _starve_?"

"Consider the situation from my perspective. This is an experiment, the first of many. I want to know how long you can go without drinking, as well as how your body reacts to the lack of consumption. Feel free to eat anything else, however."

My head felt like it was next to a bonfire. Heat swelled over my cheeks as I grew dizzy. To steady myself, I gripped the back of the couch Soichiro sat on. I swayed on my feet like a drunk woman.

"I'm sorry, L, but-"

"Ryuzaki."

"Whatever. Can you turn down the thermostat? I'm dying in this heat."

This time, it was me who received the weird looks. Both men wore pants and long-sleeves, but they weren't sweating like I was.

"It's only 72 degrees in here," the policeman informed.

"More like 98," I shot back with irritation.

"..Watari, please fetch a first-aid kit."

Somehow, I hadn't noticed the butler standing off to the side. Man, what was happening? Was I sick? Wait, could I even _get_ sick? Time slipped by quickly. When Watari got back, I thought less than a minute had elapsed, even though logically, it had to have been longer.

"I'm going to place this in your mouth," he spoke soothingly. "Keep it under your tongue."

Doing what I was told, I let it sit there until it beeped three times. The old man took it to see what my temperature was. He turned to L to answer the unspoken question.

"102.05 degrees Fahrenheit."

Upon hearing this, I whipped my head to the detective. Our eyes locked, his blank and mine glaring. We had a stare-down, trying to let the other know what we wanted to take place. No, I wouldn't let him do it! I'm not-

"Please escort Miss Fauxe back to her room. Make sure she rests by _any_ means necessary."

"Dream on," I yelled. "You can't tell me to go to my room! I'm not a child. I can take care of mys-" A strong wave of vertigo knocked me off my feet. I lay on the carpet for a moment before lifting my hand up in the air. "… Can someone help me to my bed?"

* * *

 _ **I know the last chapter was really morbid, but I had to show you why she does what she does. Also, the contest will end Monday, October24. If there is no winner, I'll do something else.**_

 _ **Hint:**_ **V/Shika needs what? The thing starts with a 'd', and it has to do with certain vampire myths** _ **. If you've ever read the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, you'd be able to guess it on the spot, but don't be discouraged if you haven't. There are other stories with them in it, like The Originals.**_

 _ **Good luck!**_


	14. Found?

_**Okay, here's the deal: If no one wins the contest, then you guys have to guess who's POV this is. Sound like a deal? It should be fairly easy compared to the last one.**_

 _ **Guesses are ONLY allowed after I post on Monday, not before hand.**_

 _ **Best of wishes, onwards~**_

 **Unknown:**

Beep! Beep! . . . Beep! Beep!

Slightly startled, I scrambled to find my laptop on my messy hotel bed. I found it under a pile of my clean close I had yet to repack. Powering the device, my entire body tensed. It just had to be it.

I desperately needed to find her. I didn't want to wait a moment longer. I'd have to get Meiah up-to-date. She was the one who could make portals, I just handled the Liggimb.

The file was already there as my screen lit up. A new email was waiting, the return address not showing, as per usual. I couldn't keep a small smile off my face. It had been so long since we last talked. I know I can't trust Huin, but Meiah was another story. The three of us have been searching for Veronica for quite some time now. It was good to know we'd be there soon.


	15. Fire Dance

_**The end of the contest is upon us. The winner is no one. Man, sorry if that was hard. Welp, here's your next chance. Who was 'unknown' in the previous chapter? This one should be a lot easier.**_

 _ **Hope you enjoyed this so far. Prize: on OC insert with their own dimension.**_

 _ **Onwards and enjoy, readers~**_

 **Shika:**

I was confined to my room without any other option. The thermostat was turned down to 0 degrees Celsius to bring my core temperature into reasonable and safe levels. My bed was covered in icepacks and bags of ice, and so was a majority of my body with wet rags draped over my forehead and the back of my neck.

While most people would be freezing, I was still sweating. If I could have, I'd strip, leaving only my underwear and bra on, but that would have been awkward should someone check on me.

With nothing else to do, I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. Who knew when my fever would break? Might as well make up for my early wake-up call.

Unable to meet the Task Force in these conditions, I thought about L's idea for explaining me to the others. We were 'related,' and I was a detective-in-training. What was my reason for wanting to become a detective? Well, L was, and he was my role-model, the person I respected most. I wanted to be like him. Am I as smart as him? Oh, God, no, but I wasn't dumb either.

Weight shifted onto the mattress. Watari must have come in and didn't want to disturb me. I kept thinking. The butler moved to sit over me, looking down at me with his arms next to both of my ears. The person didn't smell like the old man, nor was it like Light, Mr. Yagami, L, or Ryuk –yes, even he had a scent that I noticed only after I touched the Death Note.

The person smelled like chocolate powder Nesquik and pine needles. The combination was heavenly.

Slowly, I pried open one of my eyelids. Deep, vibrant purple irises gazed back at me. It was a guy in his late teens to early 20s with magenta hair and sun-kissed skin. He was easily as tall as Light and just as handsome, if not more so. He grinned as he saw me stirring.

"Awe, you're much cuter when you aren't covered in blood," he giggled, eyes closed with his smile.

"Uh, excuse me, but who the fuck are you?"

"Dad calls me Neches, you know, like the river."

" 'Dad'?"

"Yeah. Black hair, band shirt, metal chain, and converse."

My orbs widened immensely to take in every detail about him. If you looked close enough, you could see a faint resemblance inside his eyes, the same sparkles the air contained when Shun appeared. A few of the facial features vaguely matched as well.

"You said that Shun's your dad?" I asked.

"Yup!"

"..How?"

"Well, after you got bit by Rido, Dad took some of your blood that hit the ground and made me with it. That's why my hair's this color!"

"oh, wow. That takes recycling to a whole new level of creepy."

"I'm sorry, I just realized how rude I'm being," Neches gushed, still right in my face. He looked at how close we were. "I've yet to offer you something to eat! Here," he pulled the collar of his shirt so that his neck was exposed, leaning his head to the side. "Take as much as you need."

A sudden pang of hunger made my stomach growl. His scent was practically calling out to me, tempting me to taste its spicy flavor. Along with this came a hint of familiarity, almost as if I'd done this before. It was so close.

Before I knew it, I was moving closer to his throat, preparing to sink my fangs into his artery. Then my mind caught up with my actions. Out of concern for his safety, I shoved him off of me. The icepacks were melting, the ones closest to me steaming as the water evaporated. My temperature must be substantially higher than earlier.

I opened my mouth to scream for Watari, L, and/or Mr. Yagami, but Neches responded quickly, putting his hand over my lips to muffle my voice. He was pouting while scolding me.

"Dad told me you'd put up a fuss, but this is ridiculous! At least take a few gulps."

Instinct really screwed me over. Since he wouldn't remove his hand, I bit him to force him to let me go. He yelped and pulled it away, causing one of my incisors to but his palm. What a mistake that was.

If my eyes hadn't been red, they sure as hell were then. I actually felt myself get hotter as if it was feeding off my blood-lust. I was just about salivating. He saw this, choosing to hold out his wrist this time.

"It's okay. That's what I'm here for."

Unable to stop myself, I grabbed his arm, pulling it closer to me. Just one bite, one tiny sip..

The door flung open, hitting the wall harshly. I flinched, letting go of him in favor of covering my ears. Four people rushed in.

"I thought that crashing came from in here," yelled a young man in his early to mid twenties.

Matsuda Touta froze in the doorway, looking between the purple-eyed man and I. He must have gotten the wrong idea about us with me in a bare-minimum of clothes and Neches sitting over me like he was, because his eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. Averting his eyes, he was going to close the door, but his movement caught my attention. My primal urge to hunt kicked in.

Swiftly, I sprung up, running at him with a feral growl. He tripped over his feet, falling on the floor on his back. Out of nowhere, someone tackled me just as I had reached the ditzy cop. We struggled, each fighting to gain the upper hand. Soon, however, the person had me pinned.

L held my wrists and used my stomach to sit on. I couldn't bring my legs to kick him for he had found the best place in which they couldn't reach him. Chief Yagami was helping Matsuda up.

I was panting heavily. With Ryuzaki on top of me, I felt like I was going to burst into flames at any moment. Taking my motionless state as a sign that I was calm, he got off of me and faced the two officers.

"Mr. Matsui, go wait with the rest of the Task Force. And do not discuss any of this."

"Y-yeah.." He shakily left.

"Have Watari bring the restraints," L told Mr. Yagami.

"Right," he responded, also exiting my suite.

When the door closed, Ryuzaki addressed Neches and I.

"Explain what happened," he demanded while still maintaining his monotone voice.

I would have told him, honestly, I would have, but my hunger wasn't slated yet. I hadn't drunk what I wanted, what I craved. All I cared about was feeding. There were no signs to warn L to watch out. I charged directly at the detective, not slowing or thinking about what I was doing.

My hands grasped shoulders, fangs ready to chomp into a neck. Eyes closed, I began to feeding. The blood was what I imagined ambrosia tasted like to the Greek gods. The room faded away. All I knew was blood, and there was nothing to prevent my bliss. It was SO much better than the Blood Tablets.

A hand pulled me away from my meal. I glared, angry to be interrupted before I had had my fill. Ryuzaki literally pried my jaw open. Instead of biting L, I was latched to Neches' throat. He had thrown himself between L and I.

Taking a breath, my eyes returned to their normal brown. A small trail of crimson reached my chin from the corner of my mouth. I felt energized, more so than I had in weeks. But the heat only intensified. I grabbed the sleeve of the arm that L was holding onto my shoulder. Smoke curled up, and the fabric caught fire.

He started beating at the flames that licked at his shirt, eyes wide in surprise. I'd never seen Ryuzaki move that fast with exceptions: The tennis match and the fight he had with Light –none of which had happened yet.

The funny thing other than his funny dance? The fire hadn't burned me; in fact, I was rapidly cooling down. I had a pretty good idea as to why that was so.

 **Neches:**

Inside the suite wasn't actually the first time I met Vero- I mean, Shika. Dad helped me find her while she was wounded upon her arrival into this dimension. She didn't remember, but I had fed her my blood to get her to heal. I wouldn't be surprised if she recognized my scent and the taste of my blood.

The only thing I was told to do was to watch over her and do what she tells me. Being her servant was what I was made for, but I was also present to be her blood bank, until she no longer needs me for food.

It was a good thing I got there when I did. Any later, and she would have probably drained a few people dry. Dad informed me she most likely would have blamed herself causing her to drop her guard. I mustn't let that happen! They were so close..

We sat in Shika's temporary suite –L, Shika, and I- in silence, Ryuzaki's blank eyes looking between Veronica and myself.

Hey, wait. Dad made me using Shika's blood… Does that make her my mom if Shun was my dad?

"How did you get inside without setting off my alarms and security systems?"

"I had help." I echoed the lines Dad had told me to use.

"By whom?"

"Another vampire," I lied.

"So there are other vampires in Japan besides Shika?" He sent Mom an infuriated gaze. Well, as infuriated as a plant can get.

"Only one, but it's leaving today. The amount of time it had to spend here expired."

"How so?"

"Let's just say another force had say about it."

"Hmm.."

Mom seemed stiff, uneasy. Her orbs shifted around the room as though trying to catch a sign that Dad was somewhere close by, listening. He WAS, but she'd never see him.

"Are you a vampire?"

"Oh, no. I'm a drudge."

" 'Drudge?' "

"Yeah, a vampire's servant."

"Explain further."

"A drudge has to do every order their master gives them even if they don't want to, but if they ask instead of command, then a drudge can refuse that task. To make a drudge, a human has to be bit once, regardless of the vampire wanted to make one or not. You can release a human from servitude should the vampire bite the person without swallowing any blood. Once let go, however, a human can't be turned back into a drudge ever again. It's recommended to only have two drudges as a time. Anymore than that makes control harder per person. I've been Shika's drudge for some time now."

"Then why were you not with her?"

"I lost her while she was running from a man in an alley. We drudges don't get any kind of powers from being bitten. The only reason I found her was because drudges and vampires share a bond which enables us to find each other."

He turned to Mom. "You did not say anything about this before."

"Excuse me," she said, rolling her eyes and picking up where my fibs dropped off. "I thought he was dead or arrested when the EMS came. The blood-sucker who turned me discovered I'd made a drudge, so he threatened to kill him. He usually follows through on threats like that."

"Why are your eyes and hair such odd colors?"

Oh, that. My hair's been like this since I was born, and I have Alexandra's Genesis. It's a genetic mutation. When born, the irises are blue or grey, but they change, after 6 months they become purple, and lasts for 6 months after that. During puberty, the color deepens to dark, deep, royal, or violet-blue and stays that way. Eyes sight's not affected in any way, and I'll never grow hair except for my eyelashes, my hair, my eyebrows, my ears, and nose."

"And the spontaneous combustion of my clothes?"

Mom was going to tell him, but I answered instead.

"She was starving. Without me, her body was getting weak, but her abilities built up from when she HAD drank. It's like a cold front hitting a heat wave to make a tornado. After she bit me, her body reset itself, expelling the left overs."

"So it was not done consciously?"

"Nope!"

L nibbled his thumb, considering what I said.

"I believe I have an idea."


	16. The Task At Hand

_**Enjoy the two chapters in one day! I was really bored, so I typed them both up. I didn't think I'd finish it that fast. I'm almost caught up with my written copy. I need to work on that.**_

 **Shika:**

The next day, we were to meet the Task Force members. Ryuzaki, Neches, and I had been talking about what would and wouldn't be said. The reason we waited was because my temperature needed time to reach a normal degree. We also discussed a logical reason for me attacking Matsuda.

You know, one not involving vampires.

I was lucky Neches had a mind of his own, making him smart enough to create believable lies without any prompting on my part. They were also what I would say if I was him, so I could pick them up in an instant. He and I stood out in the hallway, waiting to hear L's signal to open the door and enter. With my hearing, that wouldn't be a problem.

"You're Shun's gift, aren't you?"

Even though I whispered, my drudge smiled some to show he understood my question. "Yes."

"Why are you here?"

"To do as I'm told."

"By Shun?"

"By you."

"What are you allowed to do?"

"Anything you ask of me. Dad said I'd always have money for your food and housing, along with other expenses so you can live comfortably. He said I was to feed you blood to keep you from turning into a Level E. I can fight to defend and protect you, and assist in fending off the Axlum."

My body stiffened when he mentioned them. I figured that would have something to do with his presence.

"Please, welcome Fauxe, Shika."

Giving him a pointed _'we're-not-done'_ look, I twisted the handle and stepped into the room. All eyes were on us, some wary, others expectant. As we walked in, I saw curiosity and respect change into confusion and insult.

"What the hell, Ryuzaki?! They're kids! The Kira investigation is no place for children. They could get killed!"

"Please calm yourself, Mr. Aihara. They have signed consensus contracts. _'In the event of death, L is not responsible for such occurrence.'_ "

Before he could yell again, I slipped in, speaking to prevent to prevent him from going on.

"Mr. Aihara, correct? You argue an excellent point, but did you consider who we might be even with our ages?" He blinked, obviously disapproving my condensing tone. "I didn't think so. I'm related to Ryuzaki, and Neches," I pointed to said guy, "is to me as Watari is to L."

Shock rippled around room. Chief Yagami tried to smother what he was thinking to keep his expression neutral. He knew I wasn't, but if he said that, the Task Force might not believe it.

"R-related?" Matsuda stuttered, probably thinking about how I lashed out at him.

"Yes," L nodded. "She is only here to observe my deductive reasoning skills to further her career she has chosen. To be a detective, she needs to understand profiling, inferences, and other necessary characteristics in which to use in the field, and I am permitting her to try her hand in a real investigation in progress to give her experience to reference later on."

Matsuda still seemed hesitant, so I decided to put his mind at ease.

"Mr. Matsui, I apologize for yesterday. I was not in the right state of mind. My fever reached dangerous levels, causing hallucinations and aggressive behavior. That was why I was not introduced sooner." I gave a slight bow.

"Oh? N-no, I should be the one apologizing! I shouldn't have barged in like that.." Rubbing the back of his neck, he chuckled nervously. "So, how are you and Ryuzaki related?"

Neches pushed in between us, his arm in front of me defensively to hide me from view. He glared at the cop, eyes narrowed and cheeks puffed out in a childish manner.

"She's not allowed to answer that."

I swear you could cut the awkwardness with a dull spoon.

"..I'm sorry to everyone in this room for having to witness that. Neches takes his job very seriously, but don't think he'll hold back the investigation. If it weren't for him, I would probably be on fire right now."

Smiling, I shot L a side-ways glance. He didn't seem very happy with my last comment, even though I hadn't broken any rules. We agreed to keep my 'medical illness' a secret, and I had yet to say anything about it.

Yet.

The Task Force members couldn't figure out if I was kidding or not.

"She's got to be joking, right?"

"No, I'm afraid she is quite serious."

With my hearing, I heard Aizawa whisper to Matsuda.

"She might be as crazy as Ryuzaki."

"Crazier," he agreed.

It was nice to know I made a great first-impression!

 **Matsuda:**

"So," the young cop began, "are you wearing color contacts?"

Neches stood next to Shika's spot on the couch, and turned his head to face him. He seemed confused by the question.

"Contacts? No, this is my natural eye color."

"No way. People don't have purple eyes."

"Yes they do. It's a rare mutation. 'Alexandra's Genesis' causes optical pigmentation to change with age until after puberty."

"Really?"

"Of course not," Aizawa cut in. "I've never heard of it before. He's pulling your leg."

"No, I'm not," he said, once more puffing his cheeks out.

"Then prove it!"

"Alexandra's Genesis is a genetic trait. He is not telling fabrications. What would he gain from lying about irises and their colors?"

Matsuda looked at his feet, feeling foolish from the slight note of being tired of idiots in L's voice. Dropping the subject, he cast a quick glance at the blue-haired girl. When she had run at him, he noticed her eyes were red. They said she was fever-ish –which he knew when he felt the heat off her skin- but _red eyes_? Not to mention the glimpse of her long white teeth visible as she opened her mouth before Ryuzaki tackled her.

It could be his imagination, but he was sure it had actually happened. Was L trying to hide something? Not entirely convinced she was human, he couldn't deny Shika and L acted like family and appeared to have similar traits. They had odd senses of humor, they're pale, they're sarcastic even though L hid it behind his extensive vocabulary, and she was wearing sunglasses _inside_ to building.

"Do you want something to drink?"

"Sure. Some kind of soda," the teen instructed her care-taker.

Neches went into the kitchen, coming back moments later with a ceramic cup in hand. He set it in front of her, moving back to his place beside her. She picked it up, taking a small sip like she was testing its flavor.

The other Task Force members were talking about the case with L, but Matsuda watched Shika. He saw steam rising from her cup, and thought it was a trick his eyes were playing on him. Blinking a few times, the steam grew thicker. Neches also saw it. He tapped the girl's shoulder. She looked up at him, and he silently directed her attention to her drink. You could barely hear the bubbles popping in it.

Alarmed, she put it on the coffee table, brown orbs wide.

"Thanks," she whispered before focusing back on the conversation.

Matsuda's jaw hung open. Did that just happen?


	17. Dreadful Names

_**Sorry it's been so long, but I'm working on something else. Don't worry, though, I won't abandon this!**_

 _ **Enjoy**_

 **Shika:**

That night as the Task Force was leaving, Matsuda stayed behind. His eyes shifted nervously, never landing on L or I. He seemed almost apprehensive. I could smell his cold sweats from across the room easily. Maybe he needed stronger deodorant.

"U-uh, Ryuzaki?"

"Is there something wrong?"

"I, uhm, w-wanted to. . to ask you if.. well, what.."

"Come on," I barked, already annoyed with his stuttering. "Spit it out."

I must have scared the poor guy. He ducked his head, unable to produce any sounds. Remind me to never yell at him. It only adds to his anxiety. Instead of responding, he lost his nerve, rushing out the door in a hurry. L looked at me without speaking.

"What? I'm not very patient."

Still not talking, he simply faced his computer screen, thumb resting between his lips. Neches locked the door, approaching the couch. He sat beside me, giving a warm smile. Pulling down his shirt collar, he tilted his head to the side like yesterday.

"Hungry?"

"I just ate."

"At five this morning."

I shot L an angry glare. "Your input wasn't needed, Lawiet," I snarled.

You could visibly see his shoulders stiffen when I said his real name. Slowly, he pushed his chair away from his desk. Sensing a fight, I stood up briskly. No way was I going to let him intimidate me. If there's one thing I've learned about myself it's the fact that I don't back down from a semi-fair fight. Sure L's supposed to be fit and strong, but I've fought demons, wacked-out scientists, vampires, and power-mad teens. A trained human was a walk in the park.

We sized each other up; Ryuzaki still hunched over, and was half a head shorter. His hands were in his pockets while mine were clenched into fists. Electricity crackled in the air around us as tension rose. Our silence meant much more than words could describe.

Neches spread his arms out, standing in front of me to block our potential blows. His eyes showed concern and sternness in their depths.

"Stop, both of you!"

"Get out of the way."

I saw the resistance waging inside him. He ground his teeth, limbs trembling to stay where he was, struggling against my command. He didn't have a choice, so he decided to stall a bit, scooting ever so slowly away.

"What will fighting do? Huh? Just go to separate rooms, take a breath, and calm down a little."

"Conflict," L started, "goes against our agreement. Rule 3: _'Harming individuals is prohibited, and should you do so, regardless of a lack of control, we have a right to take necessary actions to restrain you for as long as I see fit.'_ I let you attack Matsui and myself and did not use Rule 10: _'I can drop you from the case at any point in time.'_ So, I recommend heading his words, lest you be relieved."

For all you L fangirls out there, I mean no disrespect, but Ryuzaki is a douche bag who likes to bait others. I was two syllables away from shoving my drudge aside and beating the ever-living shit out of his smug panda face.

"Yeah? Just know that if I DO get evicted, then I'll go help Kira. I seen your face and know your name, so you'd die. No one could stop that, Lawiet, not even the _'famous Detective L.'_ So, go ahead, keep taunting me. You're digging your own grave."

"I could have you arrested for conspiracy to commit murder with a renowned serial killer, Miss Fauxe, and false identification."

"Really? I'd like to see you try to put me in handcuffs, but please, you'll make my day."

In a flash, Ryuzaki punched, I was pushed haphazardly onto the couch cushions, and Neches let himself get hit on the throat. He nearly toppled over, coughing. L and I stared at him, kind of realizing how close we had been to having all-out war, vampire-hunter-to-vampire chaos.

The purple-eyed man recovered faster than expected, using the armrest to pick himself up off the floor. I grabbed a hold of his arm and dragged him out of the room while talking to him.

"You know what? I'm hungry now. Let's go before someone else ends up on the menu."

* * *

"Why didn't you punch L after he hit you?"

I was sitting in my suite, placing an icepack against Neches' neck. He had just been throat-punched and bit to feed me. It must be pretty sore. Ryuzaki must have been holding back, though, as there was hardly a bruise.

"Because he wasn't a real threat to you."

"Bullshit. He would have punched me if you hadn't stepped in the way."

"It was that or let you two fight each other. Besides, I was meant to protect you, both from physical threats as well as mental traps."

"Why would I need you for that last one? No one knows who I am."

"You never know," he said cryptically.

Great. He was taking after Shun's ability to explain everything in simple terms like riddles. Hopefully he wouldn't start calling me ouju-sama too.

"Well, next time, you should fight to defend yourself. I'm sure being made by him means you have some kind of 'enhancements' that Shun loves so much. You have fast reflexes?"

He nodded. "Of course, Mom."

"..What did you call me?"

"What? Mom?"

"Why in the world would you call me that?"

"As you just said, Dad's magic brought me to life, and he used your blood. If he's 'Dad', then you're technically my mom."

"Don't call me that," I said, making a disgusted face. "We're practically the same age! And I would NEVER have kids with _Shun_!"

He laughed merrily, enjoying my reaction. It looked like he DID take after his habit of using nicknames I dislike and despise. Thanks a lot, you little prick!


	18. The Worst Has Yet To Come

_**So, I'm done with contests. Whoever wants an OC insert, just PM me or something. Just a filler chapter.**_

 _ **Onwards**_

 **Shika:**

"But why can't I go?!"

"Because you are not able to handle your temper."

"You're the one who egged things on," I whined, crossing my arms and pouting. "What happened last night wasn't _my_ fault. If anything, YOU should be staying back instead of playing tennis with him! Besides, he knows me better than you. I'm more qualified."

"You are not going. If I am to asses Light Yagami, I must have a distraction-free environment. He is my suspect and you are a liability. If he manages to manipulate you, he could easily get my identity from you."

"Jeez. Is it because I threatened to help Kira?"

"You did what?!" asked Afro-Man. "Shouldn't you want to protect your family, not get them killed?!"

"Oh, come on," I said while rolling my eyes. "People fight all the time, especially family members. Anyone will tell you that they wish the others were dead from time to time."

That didn't have a positive effect on them like I thought it would. Even Chief Yagami was upset, though that could be attributed to L and I referring to his son Kira so casually, and that said son was our prime –and only- suspect. That, or he was equally as grouchy in the morning like I was.

"So I'm _not_ going?"

"No."

"Screw you and your damn Union," I muttered, one of my favorite quotes from a movie ever.

* * *

Being as angry as I was, I forgot what happened to Light's dad, Soichiro Yagami. His heart attack surprised me.

When L got back that night, he told us the episode was due to stress. It wasn't life-threatening, but it was still pretty severe. He wouldn't be able to leave the hospital for at least a week. In the original story-line, they said it was nothing major. I guess I made it worse on him.

That made me feel some-what guilty. Would he be able to drive to Sakura TV's building and get the tapes? I hoped so. I didn't want to drastically change things and accidently let Light win.

Misa and Rem should get there soon. Shun told me he used my aliases to replace my real name, so she couldn't kill me directly, but she could arrange an _indirect_ death instead. Didn't that mean Light could, too? Man, I should have thought of that before!

And what would they think when they saw me working with L and the Task Force? If i didn't tell him myself, it'd look suspicious, then he'd never trust me. Maybe I should continue my feud with Ryuzaki, that way it'll be easier to convince him I wasn't working for L, but against him. Misa was stupid enough to buy that, but Light?

Whatever. I had a few days to come up with _something_.


	19. Second Shika? O-0

_**No, she has not been in Naruto or Black Butler. She's been in 2 other animes and 1 book series. Plus, I've never watched or read BB. I haven't had the time, but my friends strongly recommend it.**_

 _ **The quotes in this book do NOT belong to me. This chapter's quote is from**_ **The Hunger Games** _ **. They have full credit!**_

 _ **Onwards and enjoy, my lovelies~**_

 **Shika:**

Eventually, Sakura TV began airing Misa's tapes. Everyone huddled around the television, L watching intently. As we changed the channel the second time, he called to Watari to bring more TVs.

I stared at the screens, not really feeling sorry for the poor saps that died. Once you've seen so many deaths, you become jaded. The broadcast went on, and Ukita drove to the station. When he raised his gun, I closed my eyes to convey respect for his life. I heard his body thud on the ground, the Task Forces' reactions, Aizawa raging on, pulling L up by the front of his shirt, and Ryuzaki's soft voice trembling.

With a heavy sigh, I opened my dull orbs. I didn't want to continue watching, but I had to make sure Mr. Yagami followed through and bring us the tapes. If he didn't..

We all could be in some deep shit.

* * *

 **Unknown:**

Chief Yagami wasn't coming. A friend of mine was watching the hospital room he was staying in, but he wasn't even awake yet. Obviously, Veronica's presence here changed how the story was unfolding. If he wouldn't get the tapes, who would?

. . . .

* * *

 **Shika:**

Soichiro never showed up. I didn't know exactly why –maybe he was just asleep- but whatever his reason was, I couldn't think of what to do.

Should I go? No one could stop me –I was much stronger- so long as I cover myself up. That way, Misa's eyes wouldn't be able to see my name. Yes, Shun had supposedly swapped my real name with a false one, but if she found out she couldn't kill me via Death Note, then they won't have their 'leverage' over me. A person would do anything to stay alive. If I act afraid that they can kill me, then they'd 'know' I would work with them. Misa would buy it, but Light? I wouldn't know until the time came.

If I got a scarf, pulled on my hoodie, and hid my hair inside my jacket, then I'd be ready. Hopefully L won't punish me for leaving without his permission.

As I sat in deep thought, the voice of the news woman barely registered. She was frantic, her words a jumbled mess, but everyone understood what she meant by just looking at the scene. My mouth hung open as I stared dumb-founded at a figure walking up to the glass doors. The she wore a white toboggan pulled over her ears, a sapphire blue long-sleeved shirt which draped elegantly over her shoulders, black well-fitted tights, leather combat boots that stopped just shy of her shins, black gloves, a comically-large white scarf which rendered the bottom ¾ths of her face, and bug-eyed sunglasses that concealed most of the remaining ¼ths of her features. Her white hair was left loose, strands spilling over her shoulders, and also hung down her back.

The guards inside the structure tried to turn her away, but she raised her hand, leveling it before her with her first two fingers pointed at the glass. The doors suddenly shattered as if blown apart by a small bomb. The men covered their eyes to prevent any of the shards from piercing them.

An odd feeling bubbled up from the pit of my stomach as I gave Neches a sideways glance. He was fixated on the woman, stiff and worried. Muttering under his breath, I caught one word: Axlum.

Was she Amanda in disguise? If so, why break into a TV station when Zeke could locate me now that he knew I was here in Death Note's dimension? He had ways that could be used to search for people by just knowing the general vicinity of his target. That was, of course, my fault for giving it to him.

* * *

 **Unknown:**

I observed the fat man in charge. He was sweating profusely, unsure if he should reach for the gun in his coat that was hidden there. My demand for the tapes had been denied so far, but I could be very persuasive. Pointing at the ceiling with my left hand, I tilted my head to the side patiently. A low rumble started shaking the screens, and some dust trickled down.

"I want the tapes."

His pudgy face showed massive amounts of fear, so did his workers'. It didn't take long for them to scramble around gathering up the small black rectangles. Shakily holding out a plastic bag, the man visibly quaked where he stood. I flashed a satisfied smirk, lowering my arm to my side. The thunder subsided instantly.

"Thank you for your cooperation," I quoted before leaving.

* * *

 **Shika:**

"Ryuzaki, a woman is requesting an audience."

L looked down at his computer. He had sat there once he watched the mystery girl leave the station with a plastic bag. It was the same bag Mr. Yagami had carried to the hotel where L was staying in the original plot-line.

"With whom?" he asked.

"With Miss Fauxe."

Silence filled the room as all eyes turned to look at me, some with suspicion and others confused. I felt them bore into me, but kept all my emotions from showing through. I faced L alone, chin held high.

"Do you know the woman?"

"I might," I replied briskly. "I'm not sure. She's pretty well covered."

He nodded, thumb between his lips in that childish manner. Neches grabbed my wrist, making me turn to see him. His eyes held a fierce fire dancing over dry grass. I'd never seen him react this way over the course of time we'd spent together.

"You aren't going without me."

We had a short stare off, but I conceded in the end. "Fine. We'll both meet with her, Ryuzaki."

The detective didn't seem pleased that we were going alone, because he swiveled his chair around to be facing us. He glanced between me and my drudge, untrusting. Maybe he knew I was avoiding talking about who I thought she could be. If I was being so transparent, then I must be nervous, and whatever made a vampire concerned was cause enough for alarm.

"You will go into the room we spoke in before I allowed you on this case," was all he said, though.

"Alright."

Neches followed me as I made my way out into the hallway. Whether she's Amanda or not, I had to know how she knew my allies I was currently using, and how she found L's location for this week.

Oh, wow. Did L feel like this when I told him all I knew about him? Karma's a bitch. = 3=

* * *

I waited in one of the two seats available while Neches chose to stand to the left side of me, the one closest to the door. His breathing was shallow and quick, so I knew he was ready to fight if need be. I, too, was bracing myself for anything. Amanda on her own wasn't a problem –it was that way with all of the Axlum if they were alone-, but the other two wouldn't be far behind her if they weren't already hiding in our room.

Soon, the door opened, and our heads simultaneously turned to watch the newcomer. The woman from the news came in, one hand clutching the white plastic bag. She closed the door without much noise. Her facial structure assured me it wasn't Amanda, but with the Axlum, Blake could be ANYone. I didn't relax an inch.

She held out the tapes, expression neutral and impassive. She could have been trained by L all her life to mimic his usual blank stare, or Near's with her white hair. I had to say, she looked familiar to me, like I had memories with her in them, but they were so old that I couldn't recall them anymore.

Slowly, as if trying not to spring a trap, my drudge reached for the bag. Right before his hands closed on it, she pulled it out of his grasp. The movement was so fast that I sprang to my feet to defend myself or him.

Seeing how tense we were, the girl tilted her head, scarf still covering her mouth. The only reason I knew she was smiling was by the way her cheeks moved. She set the bag on the single table, also removing her sunglasses and hat. Her tresses fell, revealing she hadn't cut her hair in quite a long time for it was down past her waist. Her eyes were as blue as her shirt, impossibly bright without glowing. I'd say she was about my servant's age or mine.

"You don't remember, do you?"

She even sounded like home. What that meant, I didn't entirely know. Laughing at my confused look, she unwrapped her scarf and set it on the back of the other chair and sat in it, leg propped on her knee.

"That hurts," she said sarcastically. "I'm wounded, I really am. And to think I was hoping our reunion would be something more than staring silently at one another. Maybe even a hug and a few tears."

"…Uh, am I missing something?"

Neches glared at her, venom practically oozing out of his eyes. He didn't seem to enjoy her presence.

"What's up with you?" I asked him, wanting to know what he did.

"Well," she cut in smoothly. "I suppose he doesn't like the fact a Xucmbij brought us here."

This took me by surprise. A Xucmbij from Cupviji? Wait, she said 'us.'

"Who else did the Xuc bring here?"

"Just me and Meiah," she replied breezily.

"Who?"

Placing both of her feet flat on the floor, leaning on the tabletop, now very serious. Pointing to Neches, she repaid his glare with one of her own. Her personality reminded me of how I act. Her mannerisms and tone were what I would have used if I was her.

"Meiah is like he is to you. Huin used magic to bring her to life from my blood. The only difference is that her eyes are the color of his hair, and her hair is naturally as blue as my irises are. She's my guardian and friend. We've been through a lot together, and I'd trust her with my life."

"And who, exactly, are you?"

"Heh, wow. Uhm, okay. You can just call me Roxanne Shanua until there aren't MICROPHONES around."

She put an emphasis on the word like she was telling L himself that she knew the room was bugged. Whoever she was, I liked her style.

"Alright. Let's go talk to Ryuzaki. I'm sure you have some things to tell him."


	20. Seagulls Squabbling

_**This is just a filler, but a very important one. Things have yet to happen yet, so be wary, readers. There is someone who has two personalities, but it's not Shika or Neches.**_

 _ **Onwards.**_

 **L:**

Ryuzaki didn't blink very much as he examined the three women and one man before him, sitting on the couch across of him. Shika Fauxe, Roxanne Shanua, Meiah, and Neches; a vampire, a witch, a familiar, and a drudge; two 'mythical' creatures and two humans individually devoted to them.

In all of his career, he never would have accepted such nonsense to be real –some murders are committed by those who have delusions that they are said beings– but there he was, eyeing the odd medley in front of him. Not only did Shika exist, now the ability commonly known as 'magic' revealed itself. How blind were _Homo sapiens_ if they widely refused to acknowledge paranormal entities? First a serial killer strikes criminals down with heart attacks without ever being present, next was a vampire who had tried to attack people multiple times with eyes that glowed red, then a drudge manages to sneak into the hotel unnoticed and sometimes works against his will, fourthly, a witch destroys a glass door on live TV, and lastly, a girl with eyes slightly more red than Mail Jeeves' hair had pledged her services to someone who is everything that was associated with Hell in most tall tales. Maybe she stood to gain something in return; a gift of some kind.

'Roxanne' –as she addressed herself– had strikingly white tresses, possibly whiter than Nate Rivers'. Her crystalline irises held determination and satisfaction. Shika and Roxanne held remarkable similarities: Ignorance and the capacity to have deep understanding, a cold stare and soft features, sarcastic by nature yet knowing when seriousness was required, having a loyal companion yet still managing a strong and independent sense of being closed off, and a dangerous access to highly sensitive information.

L had reviewed the security feed as Shika and Roxanne spoke in the interrogation room, and they hadn't discussed anything about him and his identity, so when Miss Shanua came forward, Ryuzaki was at a loss for words. She, too, knew his name and countless others' the likes of which was as extensive as the vampire-girl's own.

Meiah was Caucasian with strikingly hair that perfectly matched Roxanne's eyes, and she insisted it was naturally that way. Magenta irises mimicked Neches' locks as well. It was as if she was a mixture of both mentioned parties. Roxanne and Neches, however, looked nothing like each other, so she could have been their daughter if it weren't for her age.

"Do you know one another?"

The witch looked at the vampire without moving her head, and the man gave Meiah a pointed look, nose wrinkled.

"No," they said in unison.

"The familiar stuck her tongue out at the drudge, crossing her arms.

"You're just jealous that they like us more than you guys."

"Yeah, right! Mom could take her on any time!"

"No, she'd be knocked into next week if she even so much as looks at her the wrong way with no problem!"

"Nuh-uh."

"Yea-huh."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yea-huh."

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yea-hu!-"

"SHUT IT, WILL YAH?!"

Shika glared daggers at them, and Neches complied instantly. Meiah pouted, but also stopped bickering. Roxanne refused to feed into the fighting by staying quiet. They were quite the spectacle.

L stood up, mind drifting back to the case. He would have Light watch the tapes and get his opinion. Kira or not, his deductive reasoning was something he sorely needed. He'd deal with this group later.

"Miss Shanua and Meiah, Miss Fauxe will inform you of my rules and conditions –which are subject to change upon my return-. Know now, you are not allowed to leave your rooms until further notice. Miss Fauxe, you will share your suite with Miss Shanua while Watari prepares her a room. Meiah and Neches, you two will also share a living space."

He turned his back to them, walking out into the hallway. He'd tell Watari to fix him a snack. He was getting a little hungry.


	21. Remember Me

_**This chapter was inspired by Madam Macabre's song**_ **Blood Right** _ **. I love her music. I know it's short again. Sorry, I'm just saving the good things for later. Hope you still like it. Tell me if it's too flat for your taste.**_

 **Shika:**

I sat on the edge of my bed, eyes never leaving the bathroom door. Steam filled the room, and the sound of running water drifted along with it. The reason I was staring was because I didn't want her to suddenly disappear.

Silly, I know, but something inside me felt like she once slipped out of my reach, but pinpointing when was completely impossible. Where did I know her from? Who was she? What part had she played in my life before Shun rescued me from Death's doorstep? If I hadn't been run over by that car, then I would have stayed human and lived a normal life. I lost so many people: family, friends, and teachers.

The water cut off, and I straightened up, having lost my train of thought. My brain was getting foggy like the room. It was as if a brick wall slammed down on my memories, keeping me from putting names to faces. Roxanne opened the door, a towel wrapped around her head.

"Were you waiting to take a shower?"

"No, not really. I wanted to ask you something."

She searched the walls and ceiling. I nodded, knowing what she was looking for.

"There's no reason to worry about L eavesdropping on us. There's no point in putting video cameras in a vampire's room. I won't turn up on it. That's probably why he wanted Watari to fix your room up, so he can place wire taps and stuff."

Slowly, I saw her relax. Taking the towel in hand, she began drying her hair while leaning over to the side so water wouldn't drip on her dry clothes.

"Ask away, then."

"Did your Xucmbij tell you my allies?"

A small smile crept up on Roxy's face.

"You're still sharp, I see. Well, yes. I asked Huin to tell me what they were calling you in this dimension so I wouldn't reveal your real name. Wow, does that mean you're like the L back home?"

. . . .

She had a point. She knows a lot about me, and I have no clue how she got it. I think she might know more about Past Me than I do. After so many years of traveling the way I do, things started fading from my mind, no matter how strongly I fought to reclaim them. Shun had once told me it was a side-effect of having part of the Cupviji inserted inside me he used to save my life. I was more Xucmbij than human, or vampire at that time.

"Did you used to know me?"

"I thought you only had _one_ question."

"I changed my mind."

"Heh heh," she chuckled. "Yeah, I did. You'll never guess what happened after you left. Everyone thought that _I_ had something to do with your disappearance. I agreed to leave to keep myself out of prison… Your family misses you, you know. I was kind of hoping you'd agree to go back. I've been planning this talk for a while, so don't interrupt me, please."

With my brow furrowed, I tried to remember my family. Did I have both parents, or just one? I was pretty sure I hadn't had siblings, but I could have been wrong. Maybe a dog?

"I wanted to give this back to you," she went on, reaching into her pocket.

A thin, silver chain swung around in the air, the charm no more than a half-inch in diameter with the words _'Partners in Crime'_ carved into the shiny metal. Reaching for her neck, she produced a similar locket, and held it in her palm so I could see it.

"They're part of a matching set. You came back from Hot Topic one day, and handed me this is a small bag. You said we'd always stay together, and I wasn't going to let you explore all alone. I know now how those years must have felt by yourself." Her smile grew brittle. "We've traveled by ourselves, why not retire now that we've found our other half again?"

My eyes flickered from her necklace to the dangling one. Hesitating, I lifted it out of her grasp to examine it closer. There was a memory trying to surface, but it was bogged down by unknown forces. I knew that it was mine back before all the magic junk happened. Who was she? Where did she get this from? Why couldn't I think of any answers?!

Roxanne must have seen the frustration I felt. She set a supporting hand on my shoulder, smiling warmly at me. Her eyes were filling up with unshed tears. Why was she the one crying?

"It's okay," she barely managed to whisper.

She moved away, picking up a spare blanket provided by our anti-social host. As she went into the living room area to sleep on the couch, I watched her go, still fighting to uncover her identity. All night, I heard her quiet sobs as I lay staring at the ceiling.


	22. Catching Interests

_**I'm happy with how this chapter turned out. I have some writer's block, so I had to really think about what to do next. Things are about to get tense soon. And, I'm sorry to say this book will be ending soon.**_

 _ **Don't worry, though. I'm making another one after this. I have plans just like Shika, L, and Light.**_

 _ **Now, on with the show!**_

' **Roxanne':**

Veronica didn't remember me. That, out of all of my injuries, hurt worse than any Dracon Beam the Yeerks shot me with. Huin told me she abandoned everything and everyone to go on some grand adventure, but I still thought she'd at least be sorry or feel guilty or _something_.

Had she really and truly forgotten us all?

No, no. That wasn't right. The necklace. The spark that lit inside her meant she recognized it. What if she _couldn't_ remember? Going through different worlds was a dangerous feat, and each one means dealing with strange technology and foreign creatures. I was going to make her get her memories back even if it's the last thing I do.

* * *

 **Shika:**

"You want _what_?!"

My eyes were wide as I started dumbfounded at L. It was 4 in the morning, and he woke Roxy and I, explaining his utterly insane game plan. We both had large parts to fill, assigned to tasks based on our abilities.

"It is only a matter of time before the two Kiras meet. If it IS Light Yagami, we will need to act swiftly and flawlessly. He promises to be quite an intelligent adversary, and should he figure out my intentions, then he will most likely try to kill anyone he believes is helping the Task Force and I. Since you two have no records anywhere in the world that I could unearth, you are the best fits."

I sat back on the couch, rubbing my temples like I had a headache. Roxy, however, was good at keeping up her poker face.

"You want us to tell Meiah and Neches so they do what you want, right?"

"Precisely. They are willing to oblige your commands, and will most likely ignore any prompting from me or Watari."

"I can see why you'd involve Roxanne –he hasn't seen her yet- but _me_? It's not like I flat-out said I was a vampire, but he's smart enough to figure out that fangs plus glowing red irises equals blood-sucker."

Ryuzaki's features tensed, especially around his eyes. He placed his hands on his knees, leaning forward in his seat.

"When did you allow him to see this?"

"After I confronted you, but before the Entrance Exams."

"Why?"

"It was a bet. I needed money for food. My pockets were almost empty during my first few weeks here."

"Could you not have found a different solution?" You could hear the exasperation in his flat tone.

"Well, EXCUSE ME for not coming up with a better idea."

I crossed my arms and pouted, turning my head to glare at the wall instead of looking at him. God, he was so pissy. Not everyone likes to play the 'smart card'. There was a reason I showed him that, and I had a different agenda than both L and Kira.

"Moving on," he practically sighed. "Roxanne, do you understand you role?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"Miss Fauxe?"

Muttering under my breath, I rolled my eyes and crossed my legs. "Yeah, yeah." After that, I whispered so softly that even I had trouble hearing my words. "Fucking bag of lasagna-cat shit. I have to save his sorry ass?"

"Then let us begin."

* * *

 **Light:**

"Before we make a direct response with this Second Kira, I would like to introduce Light to two more Task Force members."

Ryuzaki was in his usual chair, watching me closely. He was probably trying to see my reaction to these other members. Why would he reveal people I didn't know about up until now? They could have been a trump card if they had stayed hidden in case Kira killed the others. What's he playing at?

Dad sat on the couch, still looking pale and frail. His heart attack really took its toll on him. The doctors said if it had been any worse, he would have died or slipped into a coma.

"Watari, please let them in."

The butler opened the door, standing beside it as the pair came in. I couldn't help but freeze when I noticed that I knew the girl. She was the one who could see Ryuk, and she knew I was Kira. Considering the fact I've yet to be arrested, I could rest assured she wasn't wearing a wiretap that night. How did L get in contact with a vampire? He could easily pass for one of the undead with the way he looked, but I saw him out during the day. Then again, Shika had been at the café when the sun was up too. Well, she had sunglasses on, and he hadn't, but he was agile while we played tennis.

Just how many vampires were helping with the Kira investigation? It would make sense that they wanted me to be caught so they could continue to kill people without fear of being put to death for murder. Things just became more-

"-Interesting," Ryuk finished for me.

She did a good job at ignoring the Shinigami in the room. The guy next to her, he was odd too. Purple eyes and red-ish brown hair. I had to admit, he was the type of person girls fawned over.

"I'm Shika," she said, face neutral, "and this is Neches, my personal Watari. You must be Chief Yagami's son."

She held out her hand, expecting me to shake it. To further add to the fact we'd never met before, I did grab it. It was a very American greeting to say the least. Did L tell her to approach me or was she on Kira's side?

"Yes, I'm Light Yagami."

I could feel L still watching us. Did he suspect she talked to me without his permission, or was he looking for nervousness? There were too many possibilities with her, so many complications to my plans. I'd either have to remove her immediately, or find a way to get her to work for me.

"Yo," she barked at L loudly. "We going to stand around all day, or are we going to record a response already?! Chop, chop. Let's get to work already!"

Well, she did like to get to the point..

 **Shika:**

I sat besides Mr. Yagami, and it wasn't hard to tell he was anxious having me so close to him, so I got up and gave my spot to Neches. Having nowhere else to go, I made my way towards Light and L. I picked up the teapot, seeing how low Ryuzaki's cup was.

"Need some more?"

He nodded absently, focused on writing out what the message should say. Pretending to be more annoyed than I really was, I grasped the bottom of the pot and the lid to keep it from spilled. I went to pour it, but nothing came out. Confused, I opened the top to look inside.

Smoke flooded my vision for a moment, causing me to blink rapidly to clear my sight. L and Light glanced over at me as I had yet to refill their glasses. They, too, saw the steam. Taking a peek inside the ceramic container, I saw all the liquid was gone. I slowly put the lid back on, biting my bottom lip to keep the laughter from bubbling out. I had accidently boiled it all. Oops.

"I see that we need to make more," L said, trying to give Light a plausible cause other than me having a heating malfunction. "Watari, please bring in a fresh pot of coffee."

The old man excused himself and went into the kitchen, Neches following behind him. Since he was my butler, he was supposed to be training under him to learn how to assist me in my detective career.

If L was thinking anything about his anger, he would be planning my death to be slow and painful. Lord help me if I melted all his sweets trying to chose one to eat.

"Hey, Shika," Matsuda called, walking over to where I stood. "Why don't you try this? It tastes amazing!"

He held out a donut or pastry of some kind. It was rounded like a normal glazed donut, but didn't have a hole in its center. It was also covered with what appeared to be melted chocolate, and I could smell the jelly filling inside it. I loved sweet confections, but my stomach no long craved food. It was rare that I ate any of it, which helped me when I was on my own for the month and a half or so, living in the streets.

"Uh, sorry, but I'm not hungry. Thanks anyways."

For a fraction of a second, I thought I saw confirmation in his gaze, but it was only a brief glimpse, so I couldn't say it was actually there. He smiled.

"Okay. It'll be here if you want it." He set it on an empty plate.

Light's eyes narrowed, suspicious of my refusal to eat.

"I haven't seen you eat anything the entire day. Are you sick or something?"

Aizawa whispered something to Matsuda and Chief Yagami. The younger cop agreed with whatever he said, and Light's dad appeared uncomfortable about saying anything. They must have noticed that too.

"You know how Ryuzaki eats all those sweets and nothing else?" I started, reciting my own cover-up. "Well, I don't eat anything that isn't red. It's just quirks we developed over time."

Light's jaw dropped open in shock. Bet he wasn't expecting that bombshell. Why is making people speechless so fun?

"..You two are?.."

I nodded. "Yup. We're not siblings, but-"

"Shika," L warned, sending me a stern expression.

Sighing, I huffed. He could be so difficult. It doesn't really matter, though. I certainly got Light's attention now, which was good. It meant he would want to talk to me later. Things were going according to plan so far.


	23. God

_**Enjoy this spine-tingling chapter, readers!**_

 _ **Onwards.**_

 **Unknown 2:**

"You know that what you did isn't allowed, right?"

"No it isn't. The rules don't say they couldn't meet. Besides, you have no room to talk, brother. The human must agree to participate of their own free will. Staging a car accident and telling her she can't go back is against the rules."

"Actually, I didn't say the words _'you can't go back.'_ She's the one who asked if she'd die, and I simply suggested she _might_ upon her return. Might doesn't mean it will. Plus, it gives me more control. She completely trusts me while your pick doesn't."

"Clever, but we'll see the final results of our fruit soon enough."

* * *

 **Light:**

"I'll be studying in my room. The door will be locked, so knock if you need anything, okay, Sayo?"

"Okay," my sister replied, never turning away from the TV screen.

Walking up the stairs, I went inside my room, twisting the lock. It gave a soft 'click' as it slid into place. Ryuk went to stand in his usual place: to the left of my bed and behind my desk chair to peer over my shoulder to watch me write names in the Death Note.

I booted up my computer, placing the black book open before me. Once I signed in, I began cleaning up the world of the criminal scum, and it stayed that way until I had to get ready for bed.

I woke up a few hours later. I don't why my body decided to forces my brain awake, and my clock said it was 1:17 AM. Sitting up, I listened to see if Dad came home and accidently slammed the front door. There were no footsteps or heavy sighs. Instead, I heard a slight tapping sound coming from my window.

Ryuk stuck his head through the glass, let out a round of laughter, then pulled his upper body back into my room.

"What is it?" I hissed as quietly as I could.

"See for yourself. Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh!"

Slowly climbing out from underneath my covers, I grabbed my wallet, taking a small piece of paper I tore out of my Death Note along with a pen before approaching the sliding glass pane. I pulled aside the curtains and gaped at what I saw. Shika Fauxe was sitting on the edge of my balcony, swinging her legs back and forth. Her head was tilted skyward as she admired the moon. Her sunglasses were nowhere on her person, but those ridiculous home-made fingerless gloves still adorned her hands. Catching the movement of the curtains, she looked directly at me, her eyes like melted chocolate. A slow smile curled the corners of her mouth.

She waved her hand, beckoning me to step outside and greet her. Thinking twice about joining a vampire alone at night, I stayed where I was. Could she enter my house without being invited in, or was that myth untrue?

Rolling her eyes, she jumped down. I watched in a haze as she yanked open the window. Resting her hand on her hip, she stepped back. I couldn't really not talk to her, so I did what she wanted and met her outside.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Pft, yeah, right. A vampire sleeping when the sun is down? Please. Even Ryuzaki couldn't create a room to keep me in."

"..Speaking of Ryuzaki.."

"Oh, you want to know if we're really related, don't you? Funny thing is, that's why I'm here. That was a lie we decided to tell the Task Force. It's just a reason to have me help in the case. Why else would they allow a teenager to work on such a dangerous investigation?"

That was reasonable.

"Then I assume the Task Force doesn't know what you are?"

"Most of them," she said, facing the street. "Your dad knows, as do Watari and L. I told him I wanted to be involved in their investigation, but he wouldn't let me join, so I showed him I can be useful. He had no other choice but let me on. I can be very persuasive."

"And how did you manage that?"

"Fear. We were face-to-face, and I deducted the fact that he was L by the way he spoke and acted, and I proved myself to be a real vampire. We're much stronger than humans, and I was pretty hungry. After a few well-placed hints and suggestions, I convinced him that it would be wise to let me help."

"L doesn't scare easily," I persisted. "Kira's ability to kill didn't stop him from trying to catch him."

"Look, Light. We both know you're Kira, so stop with this third-person preference, kay? Yes, that's accurate. L won't back down if he can help it, but I could cause him a prolonged death, torturing and more until I finally kill him. That is something he's never had to experience before. Won't you kill him with a heart attack to show the world it was you who won?"

This girl, she understood everything about my plans and she's never talked to me about any of this. How was she getting this information? If she were on L's side, she could have ended all of this. She must have seen my scrutinizing stare, because she took on an innocent tone, batting her eyelashes with fake modesty.

"What is it, Kira? Are you questioning my loyalties? Was I close?"

"Can vampires read minds?"

At this, she laughed loudly, maybe _too_ loudly for my comfort. She could wake up Mom or Sayo.

"Mind reading? Really? Oh, man! You humans and your speculations about the supernatural. Is this how Shinigami feel, Ryuk? Are we that naive?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Ah."

I cleared my throat to regain her attention. "So, if you know so much about me, why haven't you done anything about it?"

"Well," she smirked mischievously. "What would be fun if I turned you in? I was turned about a little over two months ago, and I'm already bored with my eternity. I can't go to school or make friends, contact my family, or lead an ordinary life. I could possibly get a job, but after a few years, I'd have to either fake my death or up and leave without a trace. That's too much of a hassle, so I found something to observe instead."

"If all that's true, then who was that guy with the purple eyes? You said he was your caretaker."

"Oh, you mean Neches. Do you know what happens when a vampire bites a human to feed?"

"They die of blood loss."

"I thought you were supposed to be smart, but maybe your light bulb stopped shining." That was an awful attempt to make fun of my name. "No, that only happens most of the time. I meant those unfortunate souls that survive a vampire's attack. They become bonded to the one who bit them. Something about our saliva entering a human body messes with the chemicals, yada yada yada. It's all very scientific. This bond makes it impossible for the person to refuse a command the vampire gives them. They turn into a drudge, a human slave that fulfills their master's will. It makes the two linked. Should I get hurt, he will feel it, and vise versa. It also enables us to find each other if we get separated."

"So he's your drudge?"

"Exactly."

"So, if you're just an spectator, you won't assist L or I in any way?"

I saw her neutral aura take a different turn. She was mildly terrifying with the way her eyes were shaded. In the moonlight, her fangs gleamed as she grinned wickedly.

"I never said that, Light. You see, L and I don't exactly get along. He likes to control things and people, but I hate listening to other people. We've nearly fought at one point, but Neches stopped it from happening. IF you did something for me, then I might be willing to make a deal of some kind."

"A deal? If it's my blood, then you'll be sorely disappointed."

"No, no. I have someone for that already. I noticed that you plan on making the world free from crime, but what would happen after you die? No one would follow in your footsteps if you died suddenly. Have you even thought about having a successor?"

Where was she going with this?

"What if you never had to die, Light? You could be immortal, never having to wait for the cold blade of Death's scythe cut your life short."

"…Are you offering to make me into a _vampire_?"

Nodding her head, she faced me, her face now serious unlike before.

"Only if you earn it. Ryuk, what would happen if a human possessing a Death Note couldn't die?"

"Hm.. I suppose they'd be able to keep it as long as their death date never came to pass."

"So it's possible I could continue to act as Kira forever?"

Who would've thought that I could permanently punish those who go against me and justice? I could really be a god then, and no one would be able to stop me. There had to be a high price for something as good as this.

"I guess so."

"And what would you like in return?"

"I want to be there when L finally dies."

We were plunged into a silence thicker than oil, studying the other to see some form of deceit. I couldn't see any tell-tale signs that she was pulling my leg. Is that all she wanted for giving me immortality? It was certainly not what I expected.

"Feel free to ask any questions you like. I'm sure you have plenty of them."

"Would I have to drink blood?"

"Ultimately, yes, but as I explained before, a vampire doesn't always have to kill their victims. In fact, I've never killed a human for food. Sure, I nearly attacked a few people, but I never actually bit them."

"Can you overcome the need to drink it? Like if someone had an ironclad will?"

"..Not that I've heard of. There was a span of roughly two days before my body started to overheat and shut down because L wouldn't let me have blood. Those were the worst two days of my life."

"How much blood will I have to have?"

"It varies between different vampires. Some need it once every so often, while others –including myself- have to eat twice or three times a day. To stay in optimal shape, it's recommended to drink frequently."

"I've seen you walking around in daylight, but can all vampires do so?"

"Again, it's different per vamp. Some of us have sensitive eyes; others need to avoid any type of UV light, while a rare few don't have to worry about it at all."

"Will I need to eat regular food, too?"

"You can, but you don't really have to save for a bite or two here and there. Our body isn't good at digesting anything but blood –it takes a long time to finally be turned into glucose- yet the choice is yours."

"What powers do you after being turned?"

"Besides the super strength, there's faster speed, higher agility, acute hearing and sense of smell, great eye sight, quick healing, a high tolerance to pain, and never really aging."

"I thought you said you were just turned."

"I was."

"Then how do you know all of this? You first arrived here about the time you said you were turned. I noticed you in the café a lot. Now, you work with L, who's probably keeping you on a tight leash. He'd never let you go anywhere alone. So, tell me, how do you know all these facts if you aren't being told? Not all of this can be learned from experience."

You could tell I caught her off guard. I had been thinking her offer was too good to be true, and now I had a reason to doubt her intentions. For all I know, she's just pulling things out of thin air.

"Hm." She pressed her lips into a tight line. "You're right. I've yet to verify any of the things I've said. To sell the product, the person trying to sell the item must first demonstrate that the merchandise actually works. Tell you what; L wants me to get close to you because he suspects you. I'll arrange something that will get us alone without cameras or people following us. That way, I can show you what I can do. Sound like a plan?"

I took some time to consider her words. I could be a real god, one to preside over my new world. The impostor Kira could be dealt with easily, or perhaps turned into my very own drudge. Then he'd have to do what I say. People everywhere will be able to count on Kira being there long after crimes and criminals ceased to exist. Since I don't have to kill to live, then my worshipers would feel no fear. This was the very best way for Kira to overcome silly detectives who'll be way over their heads.

Watch out, L. Kira will soon be above your pointless scrambling.


	24. Loyalty Lies Where?

**Shika:**

The lights in my room flipped on as I lay in bed, pulling my pillow over my face to try and block the brightness. A low groan escaped my throat as I curled up in a ball. It was too damn early for this shit.

"Mom, L wants to talk to you."

"..but I'm tiiirrrreeeddd.."

"He said you hand to come now."

I peeked at my digital clock in annoyance. Really? He woke me up before the Task Force got here? What was this guy's problem with sleeping?

"He said if you didn't get up, I had to pour cold water on you."

"Neches, I order you to _not_ pour a bucket of ice water on me, even if I stay in bed."

"…Alright."

I heard the door shut and sighed. He forgot to turn off the light, but I could still sleep with it on. Maybe I'd get up in a few more hours to make up for last night's stroll. What he wanted couldn't be that important.

My door was opened again, and soft footfalls indicated someone walking up to my bed. Hadn't I told Neches to go away?

Suddenly, water was dumped on top of me. I shot off the mattress, doing a defensive roll across the floor, and gracefully smacked into the lower part of the wall head-first. Rubbing my sore cranium, I looked at the one responsible for my soaking cloths.

"WHO THE HELL?-!"

"It wasn't ice-water," Neches smiled, still holding the metal bucket in his hands.

"Neches," I said with deadly calmness. "Go fuck yourself."

You could see the horror in his eyes, which widened into large saucers. It was a look of absolute confusion and disgust. Oh, God. Did I honestly not know what that meant before having said it?!

"NO," I cried out desperately. "IGNORE THAT LAST COMMAND! DO NOT FUCK YOURSELF, DO YOU HEAR ME?! NO!"

He visibly relaxed, shaking his head in agreement. I also let out a sigh. Things could have gotten awkward fast.

"This is why we don't wake up the vampire before sunrise," I muttered, pulling out dry clothes from the dresser drawers. "Tell Watari I'll need a new bed until that one dries."

* * *

"What do you want, L?"

I sat on the couch in my suite, where Ryuzaki was eating his healthy breakfast of panda cookies filled with chocolate and coffee. He finished chewing one up, adding just about all of the sugar into his drink.

"You went out last night."

That wasn't a question, but a statement. There was no real point in trying to deny it. He was already sure I had. I stole one of his treats, popping it into my mouth casually.

"Yeah."

"And you went to talk with Light, yes?"

"Yup."

"What did you discuss?"

"I did what you said I should do: Convince him I was on his side."

"And how did you accomplish this so quickly?"

"Well, I told him we weren't actually related, and that I hated you. To emphasize my point, I even through in the fact that we nearly threw fists at one another."

"How did he react?"

"He bought it, at least _most_ of it. He's smart, I'll give him that much."

"And did Light Yagami confess to being Kira?" he asked, leaning forward in his chair in anticipation.

"No."

He readjusted his position, scooting back to where he was before. He deflated some, which others wouldn't have noticed. He was upset that Light was being so stubborn, but I couldn't tell him he DID. One, we didn't have any material proof, and two, that would ruin all my planning. L may want this to end immediately, but he didn't know the story-line like I did. My being here has changed a lot of things, and I had to prepare for the worst. Whether Light or L won, I'd still need to make it through to the end. I wasn't on either of their sides, only mine. If that meant letting Light and Misa win, goodbye L.

* * *

 _ **I know Shika's personality is starting to vary, but stay with me. It's actually very important for what I want to happen. I hope the ending isn't obvious to you guys yet. This is just a filler chapter.**_

 _ **If you hate it, just let me know. I want to know if I need to make any adjustments and stuff.**_

 _ **Onwards.**_


	25. 2nd Kira

_**Writer's Block sucks, but I finally overcame it!**_

 _ **Onwards and enjoy~**_

 **Shika:**

"Have you sent out your message to the second Kira?"

L sat in a chair across from a TV that was tuned in on Sakura's channel. He was sitting in his usual quirky position with a large pyramid of chocolate Pokey with the top 1/3rd of the first four rows missing before him.

"If by 'message' you mean the police addressing the public to come forth with any information pertaining to Kira, then yes. It will be aired in exactly 30 seconds."

My eyes went to the screen, and I came to a decision. Even if I let L die, Misa would be intent on killing me for Light. I was one of the only people who knew who he really was other than L at the moment, so I was a liability once the threat of L was taken care of.

Why was I considering L's death? I don't entirely know. The thought just came to me the other day, and I couldn't shake it.

"I'm going out," I announced, heading towards my suite's bedroom. "I'll be back sometime late tonight."

"And where is it that you are going?"

"Nowhere specific. I wanna walk around some. I've been restless from having to sleep at night. A little like insomnia for vampires."

". . . . . . Very well."

There was some shock that I felt from his response –I thought he would argue or question me more- but I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Taking this rare opportunity, I dashed into my room. Ryuzaki had Watari order me clothes for all types of weather, so I knew what I needed to find.

Opening random drawers, I took out these items: black sweat pants that were baggy, thick socks that went up to my shins, brown leather gloves, a dense undershirt, a long dark-brown scarf that went up to my nose snuggly, a bandana to keep my hair fully concealed, and a navy blue hoodie so I could hide my exotic colored locks from view. I also picked out steel-toed boots to make larger imprints than regular shoes. This would allow me to be perceived as either male or female, making it harder to identify me should she run into me again.

Finding Light's scent was child's play. I followed it from the hotel to his house within thirty-five minutes, which was good. Misa was supposed to head out right after Ryuzaki's little message ended.

Right on cue, I saw the blonde model walking down the dimly lit street, a hop in her step as she went. Rem should have been somewhere flying around her. At the moment, I was hiding a half-block away from the Yagami household. Before she was in seeing distance of Light's home, I stepped in her path. It was only a second before bumping into me that she took notice of my presence.

"Oh! Please excuse me," she said with partial caution, bowing some.

As she attempted to side-step past me, I again blocked her path. Now her wariness was physically tangible. Her eyes hardened, and she positioned her arms in a way that could be defensive, but was actually preparing to reach for her Death Note. Clicking my tongue disapprovingly, I wagged a finger at her.

"Dearest Misa," I scolded, my voice a primal growl. "Don't you know how much words can hurt?"

"H-how did you know my name?.."

I chuckled, keeping my low octave. She took an involuntary step back, ready to run off. I grabbed her wrists and pinned them behind her back so she couldn't get away.

"Oh, Rem? You should know I'm not going to harm her yet."

"Yet?" she squeaked.

"Yes, 'yet.' If you continue to try and contact Light Yagami, I will kill you slowly and painfully. There are worse deaths other than heart attacks, you know."

Her body tensed, and her legs trembled slightly. A small whimper escaped past her lips. She was truly terrified of me. That was good. Assuming Rem was about to arrange some sort of accident to kill me, I raised my gaze to stare at what appeared to be empty space. A chill traveled down my spine. That was where the shinigami stood, watching. The shiver was the same when Ryuk was nearby.

"Rem? Try all you want, but no matter what you see floating above my head, just know I can kill Misa much faster than you could kill me. Now, if you or Misa Amane thinks Light Yagami is Kira, you're sorely mistaken. Yes, a shinigami followed him and his lifespan was hidden to her eyes, but I happen to know other Shinigami can see each other albeit they might avoid talking to each other, so I placing my God of Death over a crowd to confuse the imposter Kira. I also know how to _'adjust'_ death dates to my liking. Since I guessed Misa had made the eye exchange, I purposely covered Light Yagami's lifespan to shield my identity. Tell me, Rem, how does my death date look?"

Still holding Misa, I tugged off my hood and looked straight at Rem. At the moment, there was nothing special about it because I had to lie to make it fluctuates. Too bad I couldn't see his/her/it's reaction, though.

"I am Kira."

"W-who's Rem?" she faked ignorance. "Please, let me go. I promise not to tell anyone you're Kira! Just, please, don't hurt me. You're crazy!"

I placed the hood back to cover my features. No doubt Rem was doing his best to recall what kind of human I was. Tiring of not seeing said Shinigami, I slipped a finger past her clothes to touch the cover of her black book. She wouldn't have felt it, though. I had become accustomed to pick pocketing.

To my relief, the white and purple bone figure stood right where I had been looking. His expression was one of hate and disdain, and he was clutching a pen and a Death Note, as I predicted.

"So, Misa Amane, _Second Kira_ , are you convinced yet?"

Nodding her head vigorously, her eyes were wide and watery.

"Y-yes! I'm so sorry, I-I want to help you, Kira. I only sent those tapes because I knew you'd answer me. I do have Shinigami eyes, but I didn't know a human could have control over other people's lifespan. How did you do it? Did your shinigami teach you?"

God, that girl could talk. She wasn't even all that scared anymore, more determined. At least she wasn't completely spineless after all.

"No, no God of Death taught me. I figured it out myself, but you have some useful traits, don't you? You can see anyone's real name.. I'll get you close enough to L to see his, and then I'll kill him. For now, continue to kill lesser criminals for me, and send a message to Sakura TV one more time."

"What should it say?" she asked eagerly.

I allowed a smile to cross my face. She was so stupid. It was so easy to trick her. I'd feed her information and commands Light would have given her so as not to arouse suspicion. I only had to wait a few days for L and the Task Force to go over the evidence that proves she was the second Kira, and Light would never see us coming once they find out about the Death Note.

"Something along the lines of…"


	26. The Dumbest Genius Around

_**So, this is a little of everyone put in one chapter besides Neches and Meiah, because they have different thoughts at this time. I promise more funny moments are on their way, along with some other stuff. ;P Don't wanna spoil anything for you.**_

 _ **Keep reading on, guys. Onwards.**_

 **L:**

" _It has come to my attention that the police want me to contact them so they can discover how Kira and I kill. This is understandable, and has given me a new-found respect for their persistence to handle who they feel us unjust in their opinion. I would still prefer to have them as allies rather than enemies. They have proven to be very resourceful._

" _Kira, know this: Though I continue my search for you, I promise to dedicate my time to whipping out only those who deserve to be punished so that, one day, the world will know peace. No matter what they offer, I will remain loyal to our cause."_

The distorted voice cut off, the video ending. I sat in a solitary chair stationed across the room from the television. So the second Kira wanted to work the police, but forgets to demand L to show his face to the world? This imposter proved to be clueless based on data recovered from his previous tapes, but this was a mistake I never fathomed he'd make. Was it possible the two Kiras met? If that's the case, then the original found a way of appealing to the imposter's stupidity while also causing me to question if the two really had talked.

What a clever move to us, if it was a planned speech at all. It hadn't sounded as though Light was working a puppet, but the tape was almost too vague to be natural.

I will get other opinions on this matter. They should be from Light, Shika, Roxanne, and the Task Force separately. Should an opinion be widely agreed upon without bias of other opinions, I can investigate further.

* * *

 **Light:**

"After listening to this recording, what is your first thought?"

Ryuzaki watched me closely, his thumb in his mouth like a teething infant. Some well-known geniuses had odd quirks, but his were hard to look past. If I didn't already know who he is, I'd say he was crazy.

Wait… He _is_.

Of course I know Kira met the second, but I had to have room to say what should just be a theory. If I sounded too confident, he might add to the percentage of how likely it is that I'm actually the original Kira.

"I'd have to say.. It's rather hard to say if they saw one another or not. Before, every video said L was to appear on TV and announce whether or not the NPD stood with or against the Kiras. Plus, the fact this new person had no clue the police answered him the first time, but somehow figured out that the latest news they sent out was meant for him. He's either a babbling idiot or a master strategist."

Sitting back in my seat, I stared directly at L. It was my turn to study his response.

"That is a sound conclusion. Which of those two scenarios are you more inclined to believe?"

"..It's not clear at the moment. IF we could keep him talking, then it would be easier to find consistencies or a lack there of."

He nodded, pondering what I said. "Yes, I agree."

* * *

 **Roxanne:**

My cell rang, playing _Lost One's Weeping_. I would have let it play out and not answer, but I knew who the caller was. I accepted the call.

"Roxanne speaking."

"Miss Shanua," L's flat tone spoke. "I had Watari send you a recording from the Second Kira. Please watch it now, and get back me once you've finished it."

I cut our conversation when heard my phone make chiming noise. Going into my contacts, I noticed I had a short audio sent to me. It must have been important for Ryuzaki to call me instead of Watari. Since I had nothing better to do besides bumping into Meiah and our luggage in the back of a cab, I inserted my headphones so the driver couldn't eavesdrop, then started the feed.

A warped voice played, obviously Misa's handy-work. It was almost a minute long or so, and when it finished, I stared at my reflection in my blank screen with my eyes furrowed. She never said anything like that in the anime or mangas. It had to be another effect of Veronica being here, and now me as well. Swiping my index finger, typed in my password, and hit the recall icon.

"Ryuzaki, I listened to it."

"What is your first impression?"

"Hm.. I don't think our Kiras spoke together."

"And why is that?"

"He said he was still trying to locate the first Kira, and reassured him that he would never confess to killing anyone. To me, that sounds like he hadn't really gotten Kira to reply, and that he knew the police made the original Kira's message."

"Interesting."

There was a click as he hung up on me. The taxi ride gave me time to consider what was going on. Why hadn't Misa gone to Light's house and give him her Death Note? Certainly, we never did anything to stop her from picking him out of the crowed on the 24th.

Oh well. I had other things to take care of. We hit yet another pothole, which threw my head into the window. England needed to fix up their freaken' roads. I clutched the small white envelope in my hands, thinking of all the ways things could go wrong.

I hoped Veronica was doing okay, yet i couldn't understand why she chose to remain a vampire for so long. It would be easier living around so many people if she wasn't tempted to bite them all the time. Maybe she had a plan that involved her being what she was.

* * *

 **Matsuda:**

"Take time to discuss the video amongst yourselves. Alert me once you have finished."

L made his way to the table stacked with food. Aizawa was the first one to break the silence.

"We can all agree that the Kiras haven't contacted one another, right?"

"Right," Chief said, nodding his head.

"Uh.. yeah."

They both ignored my delayed response.

"Ryuzaki, we're done."

"That was relatively brief, Chief Yagami. What conclusion did you come to?"

"We know that Kira hasn't been found by the second."

"Hm. I see," was all he said before leaving us alone.

"I hate that he tests us like that. It's like he doesn't trust us to figure simple things out as if we were stupid. He must think we're rookies or something."

"I don't think that's so, Aizawa. I'm sure he just wants to make sure we're all on the same page, and no one's left behind and in the dark."

They both gave me side-way glances, accusing me with their eyes. Were they talking about me? I know I can be unorganized and all, but I never got lost during any of our conversations unless Ryuzaki was explaining something, or everybody starts talking about percentages or certain acronyms, or..

Oh.

* * *

 **Shika:**

"Another message from Kira 2, huh?"

"Precisely."

I looked into large pools of intelligent, inky blackness. They held nothing to show he knew what I had done, but with L, that meant very little. He could have the secrets of the universe, and you'd never know it.

"Am I supposed to watch it while Watari takes my blood?"

"Of course."

Rolling my eyes, I turned away from the old man as he stuck a needle in the crease of my right arm. He popped an empty vial on the other end, and I immediately went back to watching him instead of the TV. It wasn't like there were any visible aspects of it. Besides, someone was poking a syringe-like object into my skin. I had trust issues when it came to stuff like that.

As the first one filled up, he switched it out with another empty one. The same popping sound was given as he inserted it to the end of the needle. My blood pooled inside it, staining the sides' dark-red. When he was sure it was full enough, he took out the metal from, arranging his things and my blood into a medical case. When he left, I gazed down where the puncture wound was, and it had already healed over.

The tape ended, and my orbs went to the detective.

"What is the first assumption that this audio leads you to?"

I bit my lip, trying to search for a reasonable answer. Shit, Light made this look like a piece of cake! Okay, what would Shun say?

' _Wow! How come I haven't killed this human yet?'_

. . . .

Yeah, no thank you.

"…I-"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Ryuzaki," Watari said, coming back inside the suite. "But Miss Shanua and Miss Meiah never arrived to their destination."

"When should they have gotten there?" L asked, suddenly on edge.

A cold chill spread down my back. It wasn't like when I met Ryuk or Rem. This was colder, like ice itself had carved its way into my spine and started sawing off my vertebra. Oh no. Oh, God, no..

"Axlum," I whispered quietly, pupils dilating to pinpricks.


	27. Calm The Storm

_**Even depressed, I'm coming up with more ideas for this book. It won't be as short as I thought it'd be. Yay ideas!**_

 _ **Enjoy~**_

 **Roxanne:**

Groaning, I tried to move my hand to touch my temples –which hurt like crazy- but found it was strapped down. My other arm was also immobilized. I barely managed to crack one eyelid open, and it was greeted with white florescent bulbs. The smell of bleach and chlorine was powerful, almost to the point of making me gag.

Forcing my other eye open, I let them adjust to the harsh light. The room was small, and everything was sanitary and white. A silver tray-like table set next to a door like what you'd find in a hospital's operating room. My limbs were held down with zip ties. Shaking them slightly, I got a quick glimpse of the back of my left hand. The thick, black marks were just out of my view, but I knew what they were: a large Ϫ that took up all 3 inches of the skin with tinier ᵠ,ᵟ, and ᵩ inside the space. They represented the four dimensions I had visited so far, like on Shika's left hand.

My throat hurt and tasted funny. Memories came to me, but they were fuzzy and out of focus. Meiah.. I was with Meiah last. We were… we were going somewhere. Someone told us where to go. A man? A panda? Some sort of human/animal hybrid? My name.. What was it again? R..Rocky? No, that wasn't right. I had so many names.

Ugh, my brain wanted to sleep. What was I worrying about again? Things were nice right where they were. I was laying down, maybe able to take a nap. No one was bugging me. I had this room all to myself. God, I was sleepy.

' _Wait, no! Don't close your eyes! Wake up! Snap out of it! Fight, damn it! FIGHT!'_

Once more, with renewed energy and strength, I thrashed around as best I could, growling and grunting with effort. I rocked the mattress I was on, but to no avail.

' _Wow.. That really tired me out..'_

My vision blurred horribly. I couldn't make anything out anymore. The room fell in step behind my thoughts: incoherent and useless at the moment.

' _Okay.. Let's sleep…'_

 **Shika:**

"We need to move NOW."

I shot up, frantically pacing back and forth and running a hand through my hair. If he found me, then he's send Blake or Amanda or even both! The sooner we left, the better our chances were of staying ahead of them for a little while. I needed Neches ASAP. Maybe if I drank more blood, we could Jump out of Death Note soon.

"Just because Roxanne and Meiah are late does not mean we have to relocate. Their ride could be in traffic."

"No," I shouted, whirling on him as fast as I could without losing my balance. "You don't understand! There are- th-they can't- I-I…"

Hyperventilating, I felt my body shake like we were having an earthquake. My lungs seemed they stop working altogether, and all the oxygen turned heavy. Then my legs gave out, dropping me to the floor. I scrambled backwards towards the wall, cold sweats causing my skin to grow clammy. My heart thundered painfully in my chest worse than band drums playing at the Home Coming football game.

"I-I can't go back.. I Won't! I- .. I-.."

Rough hands grabbed the collar of my shirt and yanked me to my feet. Since I couldn't stand on my own, the person supported me instead. A loud smack silenced my stammering as L had slapped my face. Slowly, I regained control of my mouth. Nodding, I let him know I was better.

"I'm.. I'm fine now, I think."

He let go, his expression never changing. How he kept such a rock-solid foundation was beyond me.

"Try again."

"Okay." I took a deep breath. "The Axlum are a group of young adults whom I may have made the mistake of trusting them too much. Long story short, they want to experiment on me to make themselves stronger. You do NOT want to hear all the things they subjected me to. I'll probably always have nightmares about it.."

"Why are you experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder over this group at the moment?"

"Look, L, you already know I'm not human, and neither are the Axlum. Whenever they have the place where I'm staying, this feeling hits me. If we don't pick up and leave, them they WILL come here! I won't let them take me back to Cupviji. They are persistent and ruthless, using every trick in the book and then some. It's been _years_ since they first turned on me, and they _still_ haven't given up! You think Kira's bad? Compared to them he's a fucking saint."

"Are they vampires as well?"

I shook my head. "No, they aren't, at least not that I'm aware of. If they are…"

Even though I trailed off, Ryuzaki fully understood my point.

"Could this group, perhaps, taken Roxanne Shanua and her familiar seeing as she, too, is very powerful?"

That made me stop and think. Roxy had a Xucmbij and a hand-made follower, and was also a witch. She had shattered glass by just lifting a finger, plus had somehow survived her own trials while traveling. If there were certain characteristics the Axlum wanted was those capable of enhancing their abilities. Why hadn't I thought about that before?

"Shit!" I rushed to the door. "We have to get her! She's going to-"

A caring hand was placed on my shoulder. Gazing up, Watari was giving me a sympathetic look. I stopped and brushed the necklace around my neck –the one she had given me- gently. Her matching pendant had been with her when she left. Hot tears filled up my eyes so I tried to blink them away. Why was I crying? I didn't even know the girl.

Didn't I?


	28. Regret

_i_ _ **Disclaimer: I do NOT own MR or its characters if they aren't my OCs. They belong to James Patterson.**_ _!_

 _ **Onwards, folks~**_

 **Neches:**

I watched with downcast orbs as Mom quickly began packing clothes into suitcases with what little possessions we had. She had convinced L that we had to move to a different hotel immediately, and her anxiety was palpable. I knew they were coming. There was a weird sensation deep in my stomach. I recognized the signs that something awful was on its way.

"Mo- er, I mean, _Shika_. There are three Axlum members, right?"

Her body stiffened like a taught rubber band, but her back was to me, blocking what expression she was showing from my sight. She had been in the middle of shoving a pile of my shirts into a duffle bag.

". . . Yes," she spoke quietly. "Zeke –the leader-, Blake –the muscle-, and Amanda –the tracker-."

Dad had told me about them, warning me to always be on guard should Mom say they're coming. They wanted her, the one who was so lonely that she gave them more power than they had ever had before. Her kindness was hardly repaid with more kindness. I was sad she learned that lesson in such a way.

"How did they obtain powers from you if you were human back then?"

She turned to face me, shaking her head with a bitter smile. Her eyes were filled with regret for having done something so rash and amusement at my naivety. I had never seen her so self-judging in the few months we'd been here.

"The first dimension I went to was about a book series _Maximum Ride_. There, a woman came to claim me as her daughter, bringing along three teens about my age –sixteen-. They injected me with a sedative, taking me to the secret labs where human hybrids were made by the institution known as The School. The scientists working there were fascinated by the anomaly that took place as I landed in their world. It was the portal I had Jumped in. They wanted to see what genetic mutations I had so they could build armies with the same power. I was there for quite some time, so long that I couldn't keep count.

"The drugs they kept me on also succeeded in numbing my mind. I couldn't even _think_ coherently for more than a minute before I was pulled back under a veil of soupy fog. All that I knew was the pain during tests and no pain in between them.

"After Shun had had enough, he started trying to pull my consciousness into dreams to communicate with me. He began telling me stories that I don't remember anymore, slowly bringing back my sanity that they had broken. Soon, I could recall why I was there. If I had someone to help me escape, then I wouldn't fail, but it took some time for me to consent to ask the three kids who took turns feeding me; the three who kidnapped me.

"After some convincing, I got them to agree to help me break out in exchange for a chance to leave the horrors of their parents' actions behind. I agreed wholeheartedly. As I was being prepped for yet another experiment, Shun possessed the nurse. He took out four syringes full of different colored liquids. He said that it was serums the doctors had successfully created, and would enhance those who used them. He also told me to be wise about who i entrusted them with, and one was for me.

"When we made it away and found a place to lay low, I started debating about the needles. Well, Shun came into my dream again, and said I'd leave soon, but the three couldn't go with me unless…"

"Unless you gave them the shots," I finished.

"Yeah.. Of course, having just left my family, I badly wanted company, so I decided to only give them each half of the full dosage of the blue, red, and purple serum, taking the full dose of the black one. I told them that I didn't know what the injections would do, but they weren't too thrilled about it.

"They said I was being selfish, and that I was just like The School, so they decided to try and drug me with Novocain. Luckily, with whatever it was I had pumped into my veins, I easily escaped. I should have taken their backgrounds into consideration.. I was so stupid."

"Oh," was all I could say.

Mom.. She went through so much, but was still sarcastic more often than not. It really explained her behavior. Could I really let her go through what they had planned for her? It wasn't like I could _do_ anything about it. Dad would probably kill me before I got the words out.

I just hope she's strong enough to endure it…

"Come on, Neches," she sighed, grabbing our luggage. "It's about time for us to meet L and Watari downstairs."

"Okay," I agreed, a little nostalgically.


	29. Sky High Blood-Pressure

_**Sorry if some of this traveling information's inaccurate, but I've never been on an airplane, or any of that, so yeah.**_

 _ **Onwards~**_

*Downstairs*

 **Shika:**

"Sorry we took so long, Ryuzaki. We were discussing something."

"How convenient," he replied. "I have just resolved your issue."

I blinked a couple times in confusion. Setting our two bags down on the cement sidewalk, I turned to Neches, and we exchanged wondering glances.

"Which one?"

"You are required to move from one area to another continuously. As L, I do the similar steps to stay ahead of those who would try to pursue me. It would be best for you to fill in Roxanne's role. I took the liberty of typing this up, and had Watari print it out."

The butler presented me a white envelope with _'Roger Ruvie'_ written in cursive. It was identical to the one he had handed Roxy before she and Meiah left. My mind replayed the memory.

 _**FLASHBACK**_

" _What's this?" Roxanne asked, taking the paper._

" _Give it to Mr. Ruvie once you arrived at Wammy's House. He will know what is required of him once he examines it. Do not lose it or give it to anyone else. Without this letter, you will most likely be incarcerated."_

" _But what will I do after he reads it?"_

" _He will take you to meet my successors. Chose one to take back to Japan, and wait at the hotel Roger will supply you with. Soon after you arrive, I will send you more instructions via mail. Should I not write to you, expect a phone call a month later. If I fail to do these things, it means Light is Kira and has killed the entire Task Force, Watari, Miss Fauxe, and I, or the Second Kira has somehow managed to see us all. In either situation, find Light Yagami and convict him of being the First Kira by any means possible. Do not let him see you before you have secured this address and are able to hold him in the cells."_

 _He handed the white-haired woman a smaller note with numbers and letters on it, which I assumed was the giant hotel-building L had had made with the hidden helicopter and all…_

 _**END FLASHBACK**_

"Really? What about Light, and what do I tell him?"

"I am still set on you ensnaring his trust to let me know if he somehow talks to the Second Kira, but priorities should precede such plans. You endanger the Task Force, so until you are positive these Axlum are no longer a threat, and have Roxanne and Meiah, you should be elsewhere."

Taking a moment to let things sink in, I looked up at the rapidly-brightening sky through my specially custom-made sunglasses. Misa would be in L's custody in a few days, and Light wouldn't be connected to her in any way to strengthen the percentage of him possibly being the original Kira. Crap, I had fucked up the story-line big time. No, I pushed it out of a helicopter into a vat of acid, which was falling into an active volcano. Me and my brilliant ideas..

Well, to be fair, I hadn't taken the Axlum into account.

"Wow," Neches gushed. "A paid-for vacation! I've never been on a plane before. Will they serve peanuts? Are we going to be in First Class? I want a window seat! This is so exciting!"

I wish I shared his enthusiasm.

* * *

I made my way over to Light's school not long after L told me to go to England. Neches was going to the airport, and I'd meet him there once I was finished. Luckily for me, as I got on the large campus, Light had just arrived as well.

Waving to get his attention, I called out his name.

"Hey, Light!"

He turned, quite surprised to see me. It took him a second, but soon he walked my way. Ryuk followed, a silent shadow trailing behind the student, stuck with the human until his death.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, looking around skeptically.

"I'm not here with Ryuzaki. This is strictly about telling you what L's planning. I'll be gone for a little while –a month or so-." His face was confused and shocked. "He's sending me away with Neches for some reason."

"Where are you going?"

"He refused to tell me. He only told me that we're going to take a plane sometime later today. There wasn't much of a warning. You know how secretive he is."

I snorted in annoyance. Acting like I hated Ryuzaki added to my performance. It was supposed to make Light think I wanted him dead. We'd have to fight in front of him at some point, but that wouldn't be hard to do. The wheels in his head were turning as he debated if I was lying or not. Hopefully, the God of Death wouldn't say anything about my death date.

"What _did_ he tell you then?"

"I'm going to ride the plane and give one of his associates a letter, then will pick someone out that I liked best. After that, his instructions were to listen to the person who received the envelope, no matter what they say."

By the way he nodded his head, I knew he had bought my story. Most of it was true anyways.

"Where does he think you are right now?"

"Please. I'm not stupid. If I told him I was seeing you, he'd probably interrogate me again, and you too, so I told him I went to find the Second Kira's scent around the perimeter of Sakura TV's building. But I better get going. He could always look through traffic cameras and such."

"Good idea."

* * *

Have you ever watched movies where the passengers start spazzing out when the plane takes off? That's sort of how I acted, but it was before we stepped foot on the aircraft.

Whenever people walked by Neches and I, I would watch them closely like a crazy lady to make sure they weren't Blake in disguise. Every baby crying and child whining set my nerves on edge. I'd grind my teeth, doing my best to keep it together by not running outside, away from all the noises, lights, and smells. Paranoia ate through my stomach like acid. Eventually, my drudge coaxed me to sit down in those uncomfortable chairs towards the far wall.

"I know you're nervous, but you have nothing to worry about! With you being a vampire and my being made by Dad, there's no way they can take you again. Just relax, and breath to keep yourself from passing out."

"That's all well and good, but it didn't help at all.."

Sighing, he reached into his coat pocket, producing a white bottle with blue labeling. He held it out to me, and I stared at it blankly.

"What's that?"

"Pills for anxiety. L thought you might need these after your panic attack."

"It wasn't a _panic attack_ ," I grumbled, pouting and crossing my arms.

He raised an eyebrow.

"..Fine, fine. Give me the damn pills."

* * *

Did you know flying on an airplane is actually really calming? As our plane lifted off the ground, I sat in my seat and just checked out. Neches took the window seat as he had called dibs on it earlier, and I took the one in the middle. No one wanted the one beside me.

Ryuzaki had gotten us First Class tickets after all, so the chairs were great. I must have dosed off somewhere because I woke up to Neches shaking me awake gently, telling me to buckle up for our landing.

Yawning, I stretched and did as I was told.

* * *

We stepped outside, looking for a woman who was supposed to drive us to Wammy's. It didn't take me long to spot the large, white sign with my fake last name on it being held up by a petite blonde in a rain coat, nice slacks, and water resistant boots.

As we walked in her direction, she beamed at us.

"You must be Miss Fauxe," she greeted in a thick accent. "My name is Marie Phlasdin, and I will be your guide today."

She sounded like a mix of Mary Poppins and Nanny Mcphee. We followed her to a navy blue Sonic car, and she unlocked the doors. Getting in the back, I buckled up. Since I was American, I couldn't help but think how the steering wheel was on the wrong side, as it was in almost everywhere else around the world. No matter how many times I saw it, I could never shake how odd it was to me.

"Alright! Let's be off then, shall we?"


	30. Who?

_**Wow, 30 chapters and I haven't switched to another story! That's a first time in a while that this has happened Yay, I get to celebrate quietly in my chair so as not to draw the teacher's attention. Well, I'll keep going.**_

 _ **Oh, I almost forgot, L, Light, and the Task Force will sit these next few chapters out unless I decide to do some more flashbacks. Don't worry, others will take their places.**_

 _ **Forwards!**_

 **Shika:**

"We've arrived in Winchester, England! We'll be at your destination shortly. Are you two having a good time back there?"

My head shot up, snapping to attention from a nap. This lady had bored me the entire way while Neches asked all kinds of questions about the places we passed. I wanted out bad to stretch my legs and eat, and I couldn't just grab my drudge and feed with Marie in there. Well, I _could_ , but then she'd scream, pass out, get us into a wreck, or all of the above.

"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. This is great.."

She either ignored my sarcasm or didn't hear it because she smiled widely.

"That's good! Oh, my dear. I've been so rude. I know your name, Miss Fauxe, but who's your companion?"

"Neches," he supplied.

"What a lovely name!"

She brought the car to a stop outside a wooded area. The sky had darkened substantially, and my body hummed with life. Lately, the night had seemed to call to me, begging me to stay out and explore its entire expanse. All three of us unbuckled, climbing out of the vehicle. Cracking my neck and knuckles, I took out our luggage.

"Thanks," I told Marie, handing a bag to my drudge.

"Oh, it was my pleasure, _'Shika'_."

The way she said my name froze my heart. Slowly, I turned around to look at the woman closely. She had deep brown eyes, as deep and rich as freshly made chocolate pudding, and her hair was dirty-blonde. Her smile was no longer open and friendly, but was mischievous and taunting. She reached for her hairclip, pulling it out at her leisure.

Quickly, she threw the clip at Neches, and I dived in the way, taking a silver tube with a pointed end in my right shoulder beneath my collar bone. Letting out a hiss, I fell to the damp ground at his feet, nursing my wound, not daring to pull the object out.

He didn't register what was happening as Marie's features morphed. Her locks shortened, taking on a dark brown sheen. Her height doubled, as did her body mass. Soon, she was a tall man with a burly build. The only thing remaining of 'Marie', our guide, was her eyes which twinkled in amusement.

"You're getting slow, Veronica," Blake chided, smirking down at me.

"Yeah?" I challenged. "Think again!"

As I spoke the second time, I swept out my leg, catching the side of his knee in one fluid motion. When he toppled over, I jumped to my feet, pulling Neches behind me and running into the trees.

' _This is not good. This is not good. This is not good. This is not good. This is_ not good _.'_ I repeated internally. Whatever he injected me with wouldn't be kind to my body, but I had to keep going. If I stopped..

We crashed noisily through the underbrush and branches, each stride made dull thumping sounds against the wet earth and decaying plants. It wouldn't take a genius to track us with all of our racket, but what could I do? I had to get away, had to outrun him. Not going back was what kept me going even after exhaustion took hold of my body. Neches, human as he was, could barely keep up. He was tiring faster than I was.

"W-we can't.. keep thi-is pace… up," he gasped out hoarsely.

Ready to flop down, I stopped abruptly, using my good arm to hold back his momentum and keep him from face-planting in the dirt. He happily followed my lead, bending over and supporting himself on his knees. His breathing was rapid and shallow. I gave a heavy sigh, also trying to calm my heart beats, using a large tree to lean against.

"Sorry, Neches."

"A-..about what?"

"This," I said, walking over to him.

I grabbed his shirt, making him stand tall. Baring my fangs, I bit into his neck, careful not to take too much. He was already weak. If I didn't watch it, I could very easily kill him. He closed his eyes, not happy that I was eating in our situation, but I needed to.

Opening my mouth, I tilted my head back and let the taste of blood coat my throat. Now I was ready for a fight. As gently as I could, I placed him so that he was leaning on the tree I had used. His skin was pale, and he trembled every now and then.

"Don't worry," I said, stroking his cheek. "I'll be as quick as I can be. Stay here, okay?"

"Oh, Veronicccaaaaaaa~"

Glaring in the direction of Blake's voice, I straightened my back. I balled my hands into fists, taking one last look at my drudge. I would know if he died or got hurt. There was nothing else I could do for him. Steel hardening in my eyes, I ran towards the Axlum's only member present.


	31. Round 1 Fight!

_**Roll on.**_

 **Shika:**

I bumped into Blake while running as fast as I could.

Uhm, maybe I should phrase that differently. Because I was fueled up and pissed, my speed was faster than I've ever had a chance to go. As soon I was able to see him through the dense foliage, I changed directions, coming out from his left. Jumping, my arms stretched forwards as I tackled him into the dirt like a bullet taking down a deer. He hadn't been expecting such a move, so we tumbled around, me landing on top- of him.  
His eyes grew wide in surprise, but he reached out his hand, twisting the hair clip/tube embedded in my shoulder. I cried out, rolling out of his range. Laughing and scrambling to his feet, Blake grinned.

"You've gotten better, Veronica, I'll admit that. But tell me, who was that guy –Neches, right? Is he your boyfriend? Maybe Amanda will pay him a visit once I bring you back home."

A feral growl rumbled inside me similar to thunder.

"Ooohhh. Did I hit a nerve?"

I lunged, and he side-stepped me. Catching myself, I pushed off a trunk back at him. He was prepared this time. Grabbing the back of my neck, he tossed me to the ground, and I tripped over a large root. He sauntered over, taking a handful of my hair and raising me up. Pain shot around in my skull, so I grabbed a hold of his wrists.

"Blue isn't your color. I liked it better before."

I spit in his face. Wiping it away, he kneed me in the stomach.

"Little bitch!"

Groaning, I began chuckling to myself.

"What's so fu-? AH, CRAP!"

He released me, fumbling backwards. His sleeves had burst into flames just like when I did it to L. Dying of laughter, I smeared my happy tears away.

"What? Weren't you about to say something? Ha, you should have seen your face. It was priceless!"

Blake beat out the fire, arms mildly burned. Genuine fear danced in his eyes, which sent a wave of satisfaction through me. See? He wasn't invincible. I could hurt him like any other human out there. That was a major confidence booster.

"Wh-when did you learn to do that?! That's not normal for people!"

Smirking and showing fangs which gleamed in the moonlight, I took the opportunity to scare the shit out of him.

"That's right. Normal people can't, but I'm not human anymore. I'm a vampire; in fact, a very _hungry_ vampire."

No doubt my eyes were red, seeing as I really was starving. I took the silver tube out of me, letting it fall to the earth and stepping on it as I approached him. He was frozen in fear as I usually was. Suddenly, too fast for him to see, I rushed him. There wasn't even time for him to blink.

My teeth pierced his skin, and I drank greedily. In desperation, he kicked and struggled, but I didn't care. His blood tasted tangy like pop rocks were exploding on my tongue. The more he fought, his actions became sluggish. I started to feel funny. It was weird, something I never felt while drinking from my drudge.

I was forced to stop. My head seemed to be filled with air and grew dizzy. Dropping him, I stumbling a few steps before landing on my ass. The world swam in and out of focus like some sort of carnival mirror that distorts reality. Blake was out for the count, and I knew I wasn't far behind him.

Just as quickly as it happened, the odd sensation passed. I sat for a little while to make sure I wouldn't drop again. I picked him up and threw him over my shoulder. With more energy than before, I carried him back to the Sonic car on the side of the road. Searching through my bag, I pulled out a scarf, a bandana, and a pair of shoes.

Tying the shoelaces around his arms and ankles, I blindfolded him with the scarf, and gagged him with the bandana. Putting him in the back of the car, I ran back into the woods, following my scent to where I left Neches. Giving him a piggyback ride while he lay unconscious on my back, I also took him back to the vehicle. After setting him in the passenger's seat, I got in the driver's side, started the engine, and made my own path to get to Wammy's House.


	32. Rest

_**Honestly, I never know what I'm talking about when using L or Near to explain something. I just randomly answer.**_

 _ **That is all. Carry on.**_

 **Mello:**

A car drove up the over-grown driveway and came to a halt. A woman got out from the driver's door, slamming it shut. Her blue hair bobbed as she bounded up to the main doors. There, she stopped to knock rather loudly.

Mello watched this from his window. He ate another bite out of his chocolate bar, chewing while thinking who she could be. From his position in the frame, he saw at least two other figures left in the vehicle, but they made no move to get out. No one visits Wamm'y often, it at all. Of course his curiosity was piqued, so he made plans to be there when Roger let her in.

Hopping down, he pushed open his bedroom door, running silently down the stairs so as to not disturb the other residents. It was late, too late for it to be a delivery of supplies like food or clothes.

Peeking around the corner at the bottom floor, he waited impatiently as Mr. Ruvie to make his way to answer it. He scratched his head, checking his watch. Cursing to himself, he cracked the front door open a little to see who was there.

"Are you lost?"

"No," the woman said, her voice raspy from some kind of physical exertion. "I was sent here. Someone wanted me to give you this."

She slipped him a white envelope, with his name printed on the front. Hesitating, he tore into it, taking out the letter and read it. His eyes showed that he knew who she was.

"I'm so sorry, but you were supposed to arrive five hours ago!" He let her in, babbling. "I have your rooms already made up. Where's the other one?"

Mello leaned forward, not wanting to miss their conversation. The lady's face contorted with regret, it seemed.

"He might need a medic to check him over. We.. We were jumped by our guide, who I have hogtied in the backseat. I was hoping to interrogate him. His friends have taken the two who should have originally come here."

"..I was wondering why L had canceled their visit. This letter explains that much, but kidnapped? Is he working on that case, too?"

"No, I am."

"Ah, yes. I see."

"Uhm, so do you have any doctors here? Neches really needs one."

"Oh, right! Sorry, it's just, we don't have guests often, and none of the kids get injured on a regular basis.. I'll go get her."

Letting out a small gasp, the blonde gaped at the woman. She knew L, and had worked with him personally? _And_ she was good enough to capture the guy who took the women who were supposed to choose who got to go to Japan?! He had no intention of pissing her off. He wanted to win the competition!

He rushed into the mansion, leaving the girl in the house alone. She sniffed a little, turning her head in Mello's direction. Her orbs lit as she stared at where he was hiding. He pulled his head back, unsure if she saw him or not. Taking another look to see if she had went to find Roger, he yelped as she was a foot away from his face.

"Hi there."

Taking his leave, he ran back to his room. No way was he going to stick around after that. At least he knew more than the Sheep did now.

 **Shika:**

The young pre-teen was Mello. His blonde hair and blue eyes gave him away, as they were his most prominent features. I wouldn't tell Roger he was out of bed, though. I know a thing or two about rebelling against those who tried to tell me what to do.

L wanted me to choose one of his successors to take to Japan, and the most likely candidate was Near, but Mello knew how to defend himself. If the other Axlum came for me –and the _would_ -, then Near wouldn't stand a chance, and what about Matt? Playing video games helped hand-eye coordination.

An idea came to me. A test of both physical and mental stamina would do. Whoever won would accompany Neches and I. Hopefully, it didn't end up as a tie. I suck at deciding things.

* * *

It took Neches a day and a half to fully recover. I had refused to talk to Blake until I was sure my drudge was okay, that way I knew if I should kill the bastard or just severely damage him. This, and he was going with me to interrogate him.

He was put into bed-rest on Roger's orders. Since we were guests, I told him to comply. No need to start any friction. The kids here were always murmuring about us. Apparently we became a popular topic as someone leaked the fact that I was here to pick someone to help in the Kira investigation.

Thanks a lot, Mello, you little turd.

They constantly ran up to me whenever I passed by, talking to me to try and show how smart they were, and share their own theories about Kira and how he killed. None of them were right, of course, but I was quickly developing an introverted way of living. If I hid out in my room, no one would be able to stop me in the hallways.

I closed my door the third day, sighing and resting my forehead on the smooth wood. I was starving, but with Neches in his condition.. Taking off my jacket –it was cold in England- I sunk into my bed with a sigh. The quiet was nice and relaxing. I'd take a nap before going to question Blake. All was well in the world…

…Until someone knocked on my door, ruining my good mood. Another heavy sigh escaped me.

"I'm coming.."

Opening the door, I looked straight ahead, expecting Roger, but didn't see anyone. As I was about to close it, I caught a glimpse of white. Checking lower, I noticed a white mop of messy locks and onyx eyes that matched L's own in both depth and intelligence. Near was standing there, staring up at me.

"I wish to request an audience."

"..Uh, sure. Come on in."

I held the door wide enough for him to fit, making sure no one else was trying to get my attention. He walked in, his clothes exactly the same as in the anime. Sitting on my bed, I leaned back on my arms.

"What'd you wanna talk to me about?"

Seemingly appalled at my horrible use of English words, he twirled a strand of his hair absentmindedly.

"You are here to determine the best applicant to work among the Task Force and L," he stated.

"Yeah."

"Why is it that Detective L is searching for additional help if he already has quite a few acquaintances?"

This made me think. Why was he asking for help? I never did get my head around that one. He understood that I didn't know by my expression, so he moved to another topic.

"Who is the man that you took into custody, and why is it that you restrained him in such a way?"

".. I'm not sure if I have the authority to release that kind of information.."

"Yes you do," he dead-panned. "It is not likely that L would send such an incompetent substitute that cannot answer any kind of questions that Roger Ruvie would have, especially one who has such an important role in his current case. He must trust you immensely to assign you a task so large that would usually fall under Watari's jurisdiction."

Was it just me, or was Near some kind of mind reading ghost?

"..I didn't think I was _that_ transparent."

"A majority of human beings are very receptive to movements and gestures that others emit, thus picking up on what said person is thinking, or has been thinking about. It takes quite some time to master, and is a useful skill to adapt."

"Oh."

I stared at him, deeply contemplating if telling him who Blake was would come back to bite me later on. He wasn't really a target, nor were the Axlum threatened by him, but just being near me when they're close by puts him on their radar.

"He's part of a gang, and took my associates. L told me to make sure that once I have her back, they don't stay a threat."

"What is this gang's name?"

"Axlum."

"What does it stand for?"

"It's short for 'impossible' in a different language."

"I am fluent in several dialects, and there is not a single one that sounds like that."

I smiled in amusement. I couldn't help it! Everyone was ignorant of the Xucmbij and their world, as I was before Shun confronted me. Trying to explain them without being able to show them only resulted in people assuming I was insane. No, I couldn't tell him the truth, but I could come close.

"You're right, none of them do because it's a dead language, long since forgotten. Only a handful of people can read it, and even fewer speak it. Not even L knows of its existence or origin."

"How are you drawn to such a conclusion?"

"Trust me on this. L doesn't know everything there is to know. There are stranger things in the universe than a mass murderer using heart attacks by knowing the victims' face and name."

The offense in Near's expression was clear. Obviously, I wounded his and L's pride and intelligence. Doing well to hide it from sight, he acted as if I hadn't said that last part.

For those of you who think I should watch the things I say, especially insulting people in high-ranking positions, I'll let you in on a life lesson I've learned from my experiences: Pleasing the egos of the whole population per dimension isn't possible, nor is it fun.

The not-quite-albino child turned his back to me, headed for my door. Blinking, I watched him leave.

"Where're you going?"

"I have heard enough to slate my interests."


	33. Neches, No!

_**Enjoy and onwards~**_

 **Neches:**

"Why'd you have to state it like that?"

"I'm sorry, but how was I supposed to know it would sound condescending?! What am I, a fortune cookie?"

"..You mean 'a fortune teller'?"

"Toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe," Mom replied, waving a dismissive hand in the air.

We were on our way to confront Blake. I was glad she waited on me. He could mess with her head, but I could counter-act it. Baiting her was also something he's try to do.

Mom had just briefed me about her conversation with Near. I couldn't believe she told him even a _little_ Ogojohat! With how smart he was, it wouldn't surprise me if he had started dissecting the Xucmbij's language immediately. It was sacred, both written, read, or spoken. It had power, which is why the Xucmbij were so much more advanced than any other species out there. And since Mom was taught it by Dad, she, too, is stronger than most. It was against the rules, but he hadn't cared.

Stopping at a huge metal door, she pulled out a key, unlocking a few locks before opening up. We entered and looked around while going straight ahead. The area was metallic silver with dull bare lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling, and more doors on either side of the hallway. Windows were placed evenly per room, just about all of which were empty. Until you reached the furthermost one on the left-hand side. There, a man was restrained in a chair, a real blindfold covering his orbs. Mom tensed beside me, glaring daggers at him.

She slammed his cell door against the wall with a loud _'bang!_ , _'_ crossing her arms. Blake's head followed the noise as he couldn't see.

"Took you long enough, Veronica," he mocked. "You planning to starve me to death, is that it?"

Laughing, she shook her head.

"Oh, no. I had something else in mind. I'll ask you nicely where Roxanne and Meiah are, and you'll answer me quickly. Sound fair?"

"And if I don't?"

"Then I kick your ass."

"Go ahead. When we catch you next time, I'll get my revenge. Just remember that for me, will yah, _Shika_?"

She moved swiftly, punching him in his gut. He doubled over, coughing a few times. Wincing, he leaned back and smirked sadistically.

"One."

Rolling her eyes at his comment, she punched his right eye.

"*spit*..two.."

This went on for some time, and I only watched with annoyance. It'd have been easier if he told us what we wanted. What would being stubborn do for him? Maybe that was how humans were, and Dad left it out of me. I was grateful if that was the case. As the beating became more severe, I tilted my head to the side. Why was he still here? Tugging on Mom's sleeve, I pulled her aside for a second. Blake took the opportunity to recover as much of his ego as he could.

"Dad told me he could shapeshift."

"He can."

"Then why hasn't he turned into a bug or something and gotten out?"

"…"

She paused, turning to give him a scrutinizing look. His bonds were tight, nothing lose or torn. He wasn't free, roaming around the mansion.

"Yo, idiot. You're still here. Why?"

Leave it to her to get to the point.

Blake deflated slightly, aware of his situation. He lowered his chin like he didn't want to answer, and was ashamed that he did. Flexing his wrists some, he scowled.

"I don't know. After she bit me, I haven't felt right. I can't eat anything, even if you provided food with how much I've been vomiting. My neck's always throbbing, my head's dizzy, and I'm constantly feeling like I'm swaying despite these firm ropes. Whatever you did to me, I'm sure we can fix after we make a new serum."

My brow creased. She bit him? Dad had told me not to let her bite anyone, no matter the cost, even if it meant my life. Did the Axlum count? They weren't as human as they had been before meeting Veronica.

"Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. Wait a minute. I _bit_ you."

"Yes, we've established that."

"A _vampire_ bit a _human_ and fed from him. Doesn't that mean?..."

"-a Drudge," I finished for her, nodding my head.

Exchanging wide grins, we both gazed back at Blake. He now had to do anything and everything that she commanded him to do. If she wanted, he could go back to the other two Axlum members, and have him break out Roxanne and Meiah so she didn't have to! If we cou-

Laughing loudly, he interrupted my train of thought.

"Oh, Veronica. Sweet, naïve Shika. That girl you want so desperately told us you have no memories of her. Has your 'little buddy' not told you yet?"

Crap.

"We should go," I said, grabbing her arm. "He's told us enough for today."

"Where're you going?" he called merrily. "Scared of what I'll say? Don't you want to know who she is or where she knew her from? I'm sure Veronica does~"

"Chill, Neches," she soothed, removing my hand. "What could he possibly do besides lie?"

Fidgeting nervously, all I could do –without revealing anything- was listen as things played out before me. Dad was gonna be SO pissed at me..

"Good. Are you ready? Hope so. Let me tell you a story about a girl named Estela Soledad. I'm afraid this story doesn't have a happy ending."

"..Should that name sound familiar to me?"

"Hahahahahahahah! Oh, wow. He really _did_ go all-out, didn't he? Hahahahahahahha! Wheh. Anyways, Estela was very good friends with Veronica Warrin. They were best friends, in fact. Veronica bought them matching friendship lockets that say _Partners in Crime_ , and neither girl ever took theirs' off. They thought they'd never be split apart, that they had something stronger than time itself, but, alas, once Veronica got hit by a car, she was transported elsewhere. No one knew what happened to her, so she was reported missing. Soon, people started pointing fingers at Estela, saying she must have kidnapped her or other unsavory stories. Before they could try and convict her, however, she, too, was transported away, promising to do whatever it took to find her best friend, even if it meant selling her freedom for a chance to see her again Estela even had the puppet-master bring the other locket with her, though it wasn't aloud. Years later, she is finally told the location of said girl, and eagerly did her best to get Veronica's attention, blowing up a building's door on TV to make sure she saw it. To be useful and not be turned away, she brought important tapes to where she was residing. After trying to get her to remember, Estela takes on a fake name, being sent away to do other useful tasks, but ended up being caught by a very strong, little band of people, undergoing several nasty experiments, along the lines which Veronica herself experienced. Sadly, she wasn't holding up as well as her friend did. Her sanity faded rapidly, but the group doesn't care. They keep g-"

He stopped when Mom took the seat and threw it at the hard wall. The chair broke in multiple places from the sheer force exerted. Her face had been gradually growing from shocked to understanding to fury the entire way through the story. My jaw dropped, but I had no time to process what she had done.

Mom whirled on me, eyes ablaze with anger. Her balled up fists shook in rage as she approached me.

"Did you know?" she asked dangerously.

"Uh.. I-I- er, uh.."

I couldn't get my tongue to work right. She backed me up until I was against the opposite wall from where Blake was laying hurt or unconscious.

"Did. You. KNOW?"

Squeaking, I nodded rapidly. "Y-yes!"

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"B-because of Dad! He told me to make sure you never remembered her! He said it would make you go against his plans, that you'd become too unpredictable! But I wanted to tell you, especially after how she looked heart-broken that you didn't know her."

"Wanting to isn't doing anything," she spat. "What _plans_?"

I gulped, feeling the sweat trickled down my neck.

"He.."

Poof! I was no longer staring Mom in the face. Instead,

It was Dad.


	34. What To Do?

_**Thanks for the compliment. I was hoping you guys thought they weren't too OOC. Just a filler chapter.**_

 **Unknown 2:**

I stood over Veronica's friend, watching her with partial interest and partial boredom. She wasn't who we wanted; she wasn't as strong or as durable. It had taken Veronica double –no, triple the amount of time before she started wearing out.

If she hadn't gotten away from us the first time, we'd have already cracked the genetic code which had been enhanced by the Xucmbij. Plus, we only knew how to read some of the Ogojohat language, and she knew more, could even speak it. Her entire existence had been altered by those beings, and we wanted what they had: Power. Control.

Freedom.

Estela shifted on the mattress, eyelids fluttering open. She moved her head to look up at me, dazed from the IV drip in her arm. Confusion registered, then fear. Yes, she knew who I was. Veronica did too.

"Shh," I whispered, putting a finger to my lips. "Your tonsils were removed earlier. If you try to speak, you might irreversibly damage what's left. You don't heal like you should, having been touched by Xucmbij. Are you not in yours' favor? Oh, well. That doesn't matter now."

I set an Oxygen Mask over her mouth and nose, and she struggle to get away from it, but her eyes soon rolled up in her head, her body relaxing. She fell back into our man-made coma, -the likes of which allowed her to feel all that we will do- a lone tear trekking down her cheek. Her pain tolerance was also below our mark's. It seemed like she was still human, not like our first vessel. We need to compare them both, but to do that, we had to get Veronica.

Where was Blake, and why was he taking so long? I hope he isn't playing with her. Hunting was my expertise, but he enjoyed the thrill of a food fight. He could take her, like he's always done when facing her, but we wanted her with the least amount of damage as we could get. Zeke really should have sent _me_ instead.

 **Shika:**

Even though I could no longer see Neches, I gaped at the place he had just been standing. Air was all that occupied it now.

Blake groaned loudly, still in a heap tangled with the remains of what once was a sturdy, metal chair. Though his binds were still there, he could now stand if it weren't for the pain he must be in, but I didn't like him, so _'shiru ka'_. If you don't know Japanese, it means _'I don't give a fuck,'_ at least, that's what I was told. Sorry if it's wrong, but you get my meaning.

Was it Shun? He had said he hadn't wanted me to know that.. How could I help him? I still had to save Estela and Meiah!

Estela..

God, I felt awful about not remembering.. How could I? When I first woke up in the hospital in _Maximum Ride_ , it wasn't even a full 48 hours before the scientist and the three Axlum members came to claim me as their missing sister/daughter, knocked the guard out, and injected me with a sedative. After that, it was months –if not 18 of them- that I was put under sporadically. Once I was sprung free, the Axlum turned on me in less than 24 hours, and then continued their parents' line of work. That took another 18 or so months before Shun broke me out a second time. I hurried into another portal, being dropped into a demon-infested feudal era, spending who knows how long there, getting pushed into the next portal, popping out in Vampire Knight, which pretty much explains the whole _'accidental-vampire-thanks-to-Shun's-only-fuck-up'_ thing. I still found it odd that HE screwed up, and not me. Anyways, then I came out in Death Note, nearly killing Mr. Yagami, teasing both Kira and L, twisting the entire story around, and so on.

Okay, maybe I had a little room to not think about her often, and my nightmares keep me from dreaming much about my past, but _still_.

"You," I said, picking Blake up from the mess I made. "Where the hell is Estela?!"

"Heheh," he chuckled weakly. "You know exactly where."

Growling, I dropped him to the floor, running a stressed hand through my hair. I paced around the room, searching my mind for a way to save everyone from my friends to the anime/manga characters I liked, but I kept coming up short. Some people would have to be let go.. but who? Mr. Yagami, Mello, Matt, L, Watari, Rem?

I needed help, others who can save certain people while I deal with the Axlum.

. . . .

I had an idea, after all.


	35. Phase 1 & 2

_**I was sick yesterday, so sorry for not updating sooner, but I'll do my best to make up for it. I'll give you a glimpse of what's going on with L and the Task Force, which I was going to save for later. That'll be in the next chapter, though.**_

 _ **Onwards!**_

 **Shika:**

We were inside an empty classroom in Wammy's House that I had asked Roger to borrow for the time being. By 'we' I meant Near, Mello, Matt, and myself. I left Blake in his little cell –even though he deserved worse- after ordering him to stay put.

"Based on multiple sources, you three are the top ranking kids on Wammy's property. To save time, as I am now in a hurry, I will only be picking out of you instead of every child on campus. I'm not known for my patience, if you couldn't tell, so that's enough with introductions. On your desk before you is a quiz to assess not just the core learning classes, but problem-solving, estimation and assuming, psychological understanding, personality results, and basic understanding skills. Are there any questions before we start?"

Mello's hand shot up.

"Yes?"

"How long do we have?"

"As long as you need, but time elapsed does affect how I view your scores."

He nodded, his face a perfect picture of determination. I glanced at the other two to see if they had anything to add. Near twirled his hair, and Matt was playing with his pencil. Taking their silence as a 'go' to continue, I let out a small noise to get the red-head's attention again.

"Alright. Your time starts now."

Mello and Matt bent over their tests, the erasers on the ends of their pencils moving as they wrote furiously. The pale boy, however, simply flipped through the pages, reading the words to every question before moving on to the next. He had to have been solving them in his head. I wanted to tell him he had to write his work down, but I would have ruined his concentration.

* * *

Someone slammed a thick packet on my teacher's desk. I looked up, slightly startled out of my thoughts. Mello stood there, a triumphant grin on his face.

"I'm done," he declared, smirking at Near.

"Okay. You can go to lunch. Roger's making your favorites, but you'll have to eat alone. No one is to be told about this, alright?"

"Yeah!" he agreed, sauntering out.

A few minutes later, and Matt raised his hand.

"I'm done."

"Bring it here, then you can go, too."

He complied, setting it haphazardly. I marked the time and watched him exit. In surprise, I looked at Near. He was who I thought would finish first, not last. Once he was sure Matt was far enough away, he stood. Placing his quiz on the desk, he also went to leave, but I stopped him when his fingers brushed the knob.

"Uh, Near?"

"You are wondering why I prolonged handing in my assignment."

"..Yeah, I was."

"I did so to avoid unnecessary conflict with Mello."

The youngest of the three left, not giving me time to respond. He must still feel like I had insulted his role model. With how he acted, you'd think he wasn't treating me any differently from the others, as he was always portrayed as practically robotic, but the slight cold in his words and tense posture he had told me he barely tolerated my presence.

Yet he had such a mature way of handling others' emotional responses that result from his actions. He was smart in more ways than one.

* * *

I let them finish lunch before dragging them outside behind the mansion. The only things I put out were cones to judge distance for the running section, while Roger graded test scores.

"Listen up," I said, grabbing the coach's whistle that hung around my neck. "We're here to judge physical stamina. What I'm looking for is someone with roughly equal parts smart and durability. The Kira case isn't to be taken lightly. You never know when you have to defend yourself."

"Miss?" Matt asked. "Does this have to do with the women who went missing?"

"Exactly. On my mark, I want you to do twenty push-ups. Ready?"

Mello eagerly dropped to all fours, staring up at me for my signal.

"Set?"

The red-head squatted similar to a frog about to hop.

"And.. Go!"

The two bent their arms, lowering their body until they almost touched the grass, then pushed up again. The blonde did his best to stay ahead of the gamer. Near was standing in place, not exercising.

"Aren't you going to participate?"

"Exertion of the physical body will infringe upon my deductive reasoning, and will tire out the synapses so they would not transfer information as efficiently compared to no labor."

".. Right."

The second phase continued on as Mello strived to stay above Matt performance-wise. Near never did attempt to try anything, and instead stood quietly, watching the other boys with a blank face.

I had them do twenty sit-ups, jumping jacks, curl-ups, and line dashes, checked their vitals, felt the ridge of their spines to look for abnormalities, and made sure they had flexibility in their arms. After recording their progress, I blew into the plastic whistle.

"You're good to go. I have to look at your over-all scores with Roger, and will tell you individually who'll be going with me. In the meantime, I ask you to stay around your rooms so I can find you easier."


	36. Phase 3

_**Here's your payment for my off day, kay?**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

 **L:**

The detective stared at Misa Amane, the Second Kira. Her hair and fingerprints were recovered from the tapes made to the Sakura TV building. He had her restrained, and locked in confinement until he gets her to confess. The Task Force hadn't approved of his methods, but they could argue all they wanted, when Ryuzaki's mind is made up, he wouldn't change it.

Just like he knew Light Yagami was the original Kira. Though he lacked any ties with Miss Amane, that meant little. He was convinced the two killers had not met yet, so he could not be ruled out yet. Shika had been right. Kira must be intelligent, more so than any regular student in Japan. Light was the best in the system, therefore he was more qualified to hide from L for so long. And his father was the chief of police, which also gave his son a strong sense of duty to justice, though maybe warped in some ways.

Misa wasn't talking, only sniffling occasionally.

"Miss Amane," he said through the com on the table. "Are you willing to confess to being the Second Kira now?"

She shook her head. All she could hear was a distorted voice over a speaker in her cell. It had been a week since he had her arrested, and none of the others wished to keep her there. They thought she was innocent, like she was above such acts of violence, but the evidence spoke loud and clear. He just needed time. She'd crack eventually.

 **Shika:**

"The results are in," Roger Ruvie announced, placing the tests on the table between us in his office. "Mello has met your requirements to the 't'. I will tell him to pack his belongings. When will you be ready to depart from here?"

"Give me two days, and we'll go, but don't tell them yet. I want to be the one to let them know. That way, I can break up any fights that might happen."

"Very well. But, Miss Fauxe, a word?"

"Shoot."

"Where has Neches gone?"

"He left ahead of me to inform L about our little 'run in' with the man downstairs."

"And what will happen to him when you leave?"

"I'm taking him with us. L will want to question him too. No need sending him by himself later on. It'd be a waste of time."

"I'll make his passports. Do you need an escort to stop him from running off?"

I smiled devilishly. "I think I can manage."

 **Mello:**

Mello sat on his bed, bouncing his leg in anticipation. He ate some chocolate, muttering to himself. He had to have won. He just _had_ to! L was someone to be respected. To be chosen to help the Kira case would surely make him his successor.

A knock sounded from his door. Hurriedly, the choco-holic rushed to the door, hiding his eagerness behind a mask of indifference. Surely, it was Shika. He opened it, seeing exactly who he thought he'd see.

"Can I come in," the blue haired woman asked.

"I don't see why not."

He let her past him, closing the door behind them. He didn't want anyone to interrupt their conversation. He honestly felt like he'd die if she didn't start talking.

"Mello, you have tested to be physically fit and smart enough to accompany me back to Japan."

His heart leapt into his throat.

"Pack your things. We leave in two days, just don't tell any of the other kids, please. The last thing I need is a bunch of people asking why I didn't choose them."

Grinning ear to ear, he nodded eagerly. They were leaving so soon? Great! They'd see L much faster if they left immediately, then he can show him just how suited he is for the role of L. Mello could hardly wait for the 48 hours to end.

 **Near:**

The albino child sat on his floor in his usual half-crouched manner, playing with small tops. They spun nicely on the wooden floors, not having to resist the friction if it had been carpeted instead.

He would not win the trip to Japan. He knew this with a firm certainty. Obviously, Shika Fauxe was looking for Mello's personality, but he didn't hold it against any of them. It was logical to search for someone who can protect themselves seeing as one of their associates had been kidnapped. The situation, however, made him stop and think.

Why would L allow _another_ person to see his face? That was a risky move. How could the other woman be taken, along with her partner, if they had worked on the Task Force, whom were mostly cops? Why was Shika keeping one of the gang members captive only to interrogating him once? There was also Neches' disappearance to consider. The gang –this _'Axlum'_ \- hadn't taken him like the last two. He had made it to Wammy's House with her, and she seemed very protective of him. The day he left, she was shaken up. This means his leave was not planned. And what was Shika hiding? It was odd that she never ate around people, nor did she go outside often with her sunglasses always on. With how fit she was, it would make sense that she would be very active to stay that way, but he hadn't seen her go for a run or perform any kind of physical labor. When she spoke of the Axlum, she had to consider for some time what to tell him. That meant she didn't want him knowing certain facts surrounding them. That language, it had to have something to do with it. She didn't answer directly where it came from, claiming even L would not know of its existence. How could she have been so sure of that?

"Near?" called Shika, tapping his door lightly.

Standing and avoiding kicking the tops which still twirled in their dance, he let the woman in. She glanced at the toys, but ignored them altogether.

"I did not meet your requirements."

"No."

"I thought as much."

He went back to sitting on the floor, reaching for one of the fallen spinners, but she didn't leave. Her fingers fiddled with the hem of her shirt as she chewed on her lip.

"I wanted to give you this. I know you can keep a secret, but you have to promise not to tell anyone, not even L if he asks, okay?"

She reached for her pocket, hooking her thumb in the fabric. Now he was curious. A secret from L? How interesting. Even though he wanted her to get to the point, he let her speak in case she changed her mind. His expression never betrayed his mind, still stark white.

"..Yes."

Shika smiled widely, happy to hear that one word. Pulling out an envelope from her front pocket, she handed it to him, then got something small out of her back pocket.

"Read this when Mello and I leave. It'll explain everything, and give you directions. Just remember, no matter what she says, you cannot go to the Task Force or police or even-"

"L," he finished for her, watching her free hand to see what she was doing.

"Right. And this," she gave him yet another object, "is how you'll contact us. Don't lose it anywhere. That thing's expensive."

It was a cold rectangle, the front a reflective surface while the other was black metal. There were three small buttons on the thin width, an outlet, a tiny circle in one corner, and what appeared to be mosquito resistant mesh except harder on the top. There was a logo, but not one he'd ever seen before.

"What is this?"

"A phone," she laughed. "Just click that," she showed him where, "to turn the screen on. And these control volume, that's the camera, and here's where your headphones would go."

"I have never seen technology like this before. Which country makes these?"

Another laugh. "Not anywhere around here. That's how I know it'll be safe to use. I have one just like it." She showed me her phone. "Let me show you how to make a call or text."

 **Matt:**

Nothing ever happened to anyone in third place. That was a life lesson Matt learned being the third in line to be L's successor. It's not like he really wanted to do it, but still. Everyone usually forgot he even existed. They only ever focused on Near or Mello, not to sound too bitter or anything.

Sighing, he hooked up is Nintendo to his TV. A little gaming could fix his frazzled nerves. He had been pushed to try out for something he'd never get. It was more than a little exhausting.

Zoning in to his character, Matt completely missed the knocking on his bedroom door. Seeing his attention would not be won, the person slipped a note and small device under the doorframe. He'd find it later, maybe on his way to dinner.

Hopefully, he didn't step on it on his way out.


	37. Smells Like Trouble

_**So, for Thanksgiving holiday, our school will be out for a week or so after half-way through Friday, I won't be able to update until after this upcoming holiday. Sorry, I know how you guys like how fast I post chapters, but if I go to my grandparents' house, I might be able to do it then.**_

 _ **Fingers crossed, readers!**_

 _ **Carry on my wayward son…**_

 **Shika:**

"You ready?" I asked Mello.

"Yeah, let's go."

He walked towards the limo, and I smiled at his fake bravado. I was only a couple years older than he was when I started Jumping, as I called it. I suppose that was the same age Mello was when he learned of L's death. Tragedy can change those caught in its web, no matter how pure one is before it strikes.

"I ain't going with you!" shouted Blake as he wrestled with his handcuffs.

"Of course you are. Get in the car."

Growling at his feet, he slunk after the blonde. Drudges are prone to angry bouts when their master tells them to do something they didn't want to do. Whether he liked it or not, Blake was going to get Estela and Meiah back for me, but I had no idea what to do with him once I got them back. Going to jai; would be too generous for his crimes.

Oh, God. I was starting to sound like Light. As the thought floated in my ear, I couldn't shake it. Killing him was the _least_ he deserved, but torture? Was I going crazy? Of course I wouldn't do that!

Would I?

* * *

The flight to Japan was much like the one out. I was paranoid and skittish, which caused both Mello and Blake to laugh at my expense. After practically removing the young man's arm, the pre-teen shut his trap. Yes, I did break his bones, but they'd heal in a week. That serum I gave him had other side effects, which is probably why I survived so long.

We boarded the plane, again riding in First Class. Sitting down, I glared temporarily at the burnette.

"Don't leave my sight, only if you need to use the bathroom. When we get off, you can't run off. Got it?"

"Screw you."

"Good."

I leaned back in my seat. Mello leaned over, whispering to me while watching him.

"Do you really expect him to listen to you?"

"Trust me. He can't refuse a thing I say."

"..Why?"

"Let's just say I'm very persuasive," I smirked. I had used that same line on Light before.

 **Neches:**

"You nearly exposed my plan! What the hell were you thinking?! I gave you ONE FUCKING JOB! How do you screw that up?!"

I let out a small whimper as Dad continued to rant and foam at the mouth. We were floating in Cupviji, the first dimension to have existed, though it was now a black void where the Axlum resided. But they were in a different part of it.

"You're lucky I came up with a way to fix your fuck-up. I really should kill you, but I'm feeling gracious today. You may go back to Veronica after I salvage my list, ONLY if she agrees to let you free of her servitude."

"..You mean she has to release me from being her drudge?"

"Yes."

Shooting up from my cowering position, I nearly shouted.

"But she'd never agree to that!"

"Then tough luck."

We stared at one another, examining each others' eyes for wavering thoughts. It took some time for me to lower my head.

"I'll.. I'll do it."

"Good boy," he purred, as though I were his dog.

 **Roger:**

 _Ring, ring. . . Ring, ri-_

"Yes?" Roger asked, answering the landline.

" _We're at the hotel,"_ Shika's voice said, slightly spotty from the bad connection. _"Blake gave us no problems as expected-"_

" _Shut the hell up! I can hear you, you motherfucker!"_

" _BE QUIET, I'M ON THE DAMN PHONE!"_ He pulled away from the device, ears ringing. _"Sorry about that. Mello's fine, excited and tired. Call L and tell him we're ready for his instructions."_

"Certainly. Uhm, if you weren't already aware, Mello has a particular-"

" _He likes chocolate. Yeah, that's not so different from L's sweet tooth. Anything else for us?"_

"Not that I know of."

" _Alright, then. Talk to you later, Mr. Ruvie. Mello's in good hands here, so don't worry. 'Night."_

She hung up, so he searched through a couple drawers. Finding what he wanted, Roger dialed Watari's current number. He waited as it rang patiently.

" _Hello?"_

"It's Roger. Shika made it to the La Plaza Hotel."

" _Who did she choose?"_

"Mello, believe it or not. I was sure it would've been Near, but I can see why she picked him. With that man they're traveling with, I'd make sure the kid could fight a little."

" _Man? Are you referring to Neches?"_

"No. Isn't he already there in Japan? He went ahead of them to tell you about the gang member. You know, the ones who took Roxanne?"

A silence fell over the two men.

" _Good night, Mr. Ruvie."_


	38. Not Friends

_**Filler.**_

 **Shika:**

The hotel was nice and big, which was great. It meant more room for the boys to sleep while I took the master bed. Mello got the only other bedroom, and Blake got the couch after I gave him more orders. The pre-teen was asleep while I paced my room, running a hand through my already tangled hair.

My stomach was growling angrily. It had been three and a half or four days since I drank from Blake and Neches, and it was good that it had been a lot, or I might have killed the chocoholic.

Sighing, I looked up at the ceiling; tears of pain pricked my eyes as it felt like my body was eating itself.

"Ugh, man…"

Sniffing some, I turned to face my door, finding Blake standing there, an eyebrow arched in questioning.

"You on your period or somethin'?"

I scowled at him, narrowing my orbs into slits.

"For your information, I happen to be starving, not PMSing."

He held his hands up in a cease-fire gesture.

"Right, we have _no_ food in the fully stocked fridge or pantries. I think the rats must have eaten it all in less than 5 seconds."

"Cut the damn sarcasm! You're worse than Shun, and that says a lot. Me being a _vampire_ , I need _blood_ , not human food. Don't you remember me biting you before? I thought it was rather obvious after that."

"Now look who's being sarcastic."

"Whatever. What did you want?"

"Well, I have nothing to do. Where'd your little buddy go? I scare him too much, or something?"

"It _was_ your fault, but no. His dad must have taken him back, seeing as he was a 'gift'."

"Isn't slavery illegal these days?"

"Ha ha, very funny. You should be a comedian."

"You think so?" he asked rhetorically.

"You mind getting the hell out?"

"What's a drudge? That's what you and Neches called me after you said you bit me. Why?"

Thinking, I pursed my lips. Should I tell him about it?

"Well, once a vampire feeds off a human, they are turned into a drudge, and do whatever their maker orders them to do, hence why you've obeyed my every command. That's one of the reasons why most times we eat, we end the humans' life to save them from eternal enslavement."

"..And here I thought you were still the goody-two-shoes when you trusted us. You've definitely changed, Veronica. How would your family react if they find out you're so willing to kill others to keep yourself alive."

"That's not true! I've only bitten Neches and you! I haven't killed anyone."

"Really? You're gonna claim innocence? What about those demons?"

"They were going to kill us!"

"The Labcoats? My _dad_ , Zeke's mom, and Amanda's uncle? Did you have any other choice other than murdering them? Huh?"

"But I-"

"No," he cut in, hands balled into fists. "Don't give me bullshit excuses! You have killed people, and that was something you swore you'd never do after we left The School, but you have. You're a lying, deceitful girl who looks out for herself and no one else!"

Bringing his arm back, he slammed his fist into the wall. I had fallen silent, knowing he was right. I could have done things better, taken less lives than I had. That was why I was helping the characters in Death Note. It was to make up for what I'd done, not to save them out of the goodness in my heart. Like I could ever save as many people that I've killed.

Seeing my downcast eyes, he deflated some. It was the bond between a drudge and vampire. It made it easy for one to feel as the other did. Before I knew it, he had taken me in his arms, letting his head fall to the side.

"We don't need you going Level E," he said briskly, already pissed that he couldn't _stay_ angry.

Hesitating, I bit his neck, drinking what I needed, and nothing more.


	39. Home Sweet Home

_**Yes, there should be 3 other books before this, but don't get confused about the other story titled**_ **Book 1** _ **. That's a side-series. They're about 2 different girls. I started the first book already, but this was the one I wanted to do first. For those of you who just started reading, I'll happily tell you that this is the 4**_ _ **th**_ _ **book, and that the 1**_ _ **st**_ _ **-3**_ _ **rd**_ _ **are to be started after this one is done. It'll clear a lot of this up, if you don't understand.**_

 _ **Wow, that was lengthy.**_

 _ **Onwards!**_

 **Shika:**

I lay on my mattress in a half-awake-half-asleep state. Short flashes of indistinct images were separated with black nothingness. Not dreaming was a killer to our mind, but I somehow managed to doze off.

Hearing someone opening my bedroom door, I shot up wide-eyed and heart pounding a mile a minute.

"Is that you, Mello?"

No answer.

"Blake?"

No answer.

I had seen plenty of horror movies where I'd yell at the main person when they tried to talk to their killer, and laughed when they died for their stupidity. The door was just open a crack, but was enough for me to see green and blue lights shifting. I knew what that was. It was what I used to Jump from place to place. Shun made the first portal for me, and I learned how to make them as well. Why one was there, I had various suspicions. Slowly, cautiously, I got up and approached the out-of-place rip in reality. Pulling the door open completely, I got a full view.

"Shun," I whispered in the dark. "This isn't funny. Where does this thing even lead to?"

More silence.

Getting Mello and Blake would be difficult. The portal took up most of the doorway. I got down on my way out of the corner where the circle didn't fit the rectangle. Picking myself up, I rushed to wake the guys.

* * *

"What is that?"

"It's a portal," I replied.

"I figured that much out," barked the blonde. "I meant how did it get here, where does it go, and what does it do?"

"It goes to another dimension," Blake informed, rolling his eyes like Mello should have already known that.

"Wow, fantastic, Blake. That's fucking great. Just tell the kid all about us, why don't you?"

"Gladly." He leaned down, grinning like the Cheshire cat. "You see, Shika and I are genetically modified which lets us control the film around each dimension that makes it possible to open a rift that we can then travel in and out as we please. Oh, and the Xucmbij ar-"

"SHUT. UP."

Pressing his lips into a thin line, he unwillingly complied. I sighed heavily, rubbing my eyelids in frustration. Mello watched the swirling colors closely.

"Where does this one go?"

"I don't really know. It was here when I woke up."

"Well, then," he announced. "Let's check it out."

He walked into it before I could stop him, which –by his smiling face- Blake found hilarious. If I hadn't told him to be quiet, he'd be laughing hysterically. Grabbing his arm, I yanked him into the vortex.

"Come on. There's no telling where he's going."

* * *

Everything was dark, even to my vampire eyes. There was a foreboding atmosphere that permeated around us. You could feel the uncertainty the world was experiencing. Yes, I'd been here a few times before. It was where the Xucmbij –Shun and his people- were born, the place that started every dimension out there.

Cupviji, the Mother Dimension.

Frantically, I tried to find Mello's scent, but like every other time, I couldn't use a few senses –smell, touch, and taste-. Vision was also crippled, but not nearly as bad if you had a light source of some kind, and, thankfully, there was an app for that. I took out my phone and pressed on the flashlight button.

Once my pupils adjusted, I could see Mello running towards a large building. It was completely invisible, and you only knew it was there if you focused on the darkness. There was a deeper black in the already-inky void. No inside lights seeped out through windows or door frames. Sadly, I was well aware as to which part of Cupviji we had landed in, and I didn't like the situation one bit. Again, Blake cackled wickedly.

"Welcome home, Veronica. I told you I'd bring you back."

The portal had long-since disappeared, and I wanted to bring it back, but we were already there, so saving Estela and Meiah would be dealt with then.

"Mello, get back here!"

Dragging the brunette, I hauled the idiot behind me as I raced to the Axlum's base.


	40. I Just Wanted to Help

_**This will be the last chapter until my school gets off vacation. I wish we didn't have to leave so I can type, but I can't control that. Hope you enjoy this.**_

 _ **Onwards, readers.**_

 **Mello:**

"Are you sure this will work?"

"Why," Blake snarled. "You scared?"

"I'm not a coward!"

"Then shut up and go."

Mello scowled at the man, glad he wouldn't have to deal with him, with all his sarcastic comments and rude behavior. It was a wonder his friends hadn't tossed him yet. It was a little odd, however, that there were only 3 members in total. He swore he'd never join a gang of any kind. It was a stupid way to live.

Shika had given him a pocket flashlight to see where he was going. It didn't feel like he was walking; in fact, it was like he was floating on thin air. He also couldn't smell anything. It was as if they were in a suspended-animation chamber, which numbs the body and causes temporary paralysis to its occupant. They said it was another dimension, but that couldn't be real. Who knows? It could all be just some elaborate dream.

Reality or not, he had a job to do.

 **Amanda:**

There was a knock on the doors on the first floor. Getting up from my post, I opened the door to see Blake holding a past-out Veronica in his arms. Surprisingly, she appeared unharmed. I looked at him, quizzically.

"Took you long enough."

"You know how she is," he complained, walking inside without asking me to move out of his way. "She switches locations constantly, and she even went to England."

"Well it only makes sense she'd go there. That's where we took Estela from. Get her prepped. I'm sure Zeke will want to start as soon as possible this time. Her friend is practically useless."

Nodding in silent agreement, he headed for the stairs. I also made my way there, but went up instead of down. I had to let him know that she had been recovered.

 **Blake:**

I proceeded to take Veronica to Roxanne. Initially, when you first enter our complex, everything is hospital-white. The tiles on the floor and ceiling were kept clean at all times, but the lights were dim. It was made to confuse her in case she escaped. Most people associate less light with being below ground-level or that they were towards the middle of the building. If you took the stairs up, you'd find a floor for experiments, then a floor for kitchens, multiple living areas, bathrooms, a training room unique to our abilities, and closets. The highest level was our bedrooms and more bathrooms. Should you go down, you'd find more experiment rooms and labs used to synthesize serums, all of which had failed. The lowest story was the holding cells that were filled with various animal species, a few humans, and creatures from every dimension we had visited. The walls and floors were made of stone and/or cement, and bare 20 watt bulbs hung from the ceiling.

As I got to the top of the stairs that lead underground, I set Veronica on her feet. Wobbly, she fought the drugs to stay awake. Mello's blonde hair bobbed as he quietly ran up the steps.

"Come on. I know where they are."

"Go ahead, Rudolph," she said, a smile tugging the corner of her lips.

All of us hurried down two flights, coming out in the dungeon-like space. The kid pointed towards a middle cell marked _'E.S.'_. Veronica hurried over, throwing the deadbolt latch.

"Get Meiah," she ordered, not even looking at us anymore.

"Right," we both replied simultaneously.

 **Shika:**

They left, Mello showing the way. The reason he got in a different route was so he could look for the girls ahead of time so that we didn't take a while. The longer we were there, the more likely it was that they'd find us.

"Roxanne," I called, opening the metal door. "Are you okay?"

The white-haired girl turned to face me. She was red-eyed with puffy cheeks and no shoes. She must have been crying before we got there. Her locks were tangled and matted, and she wore plane white pants and a long-sleeved shirt. All over her arms and neck were spots where they either drew blood or injected shots.

"..Veronica?"

Smiling, I went inside, holding out a hand to help her up.

"Yeah, it's me. I want you to know that I can remember you now, Estela."

Looking from my hand to my face, she slowly reached out. Once she had a firm grip, I pulled her to her feet. As I opened my mouth to tell her we were leaving, she shoved me away from her, her expression twisting into one of hatred and disgust. I stumbled, still dazed from the anesthesia.

I stared at her, stunned.

"You remember," she asked incredulously. "You _remember_? You've been gone for four years, and you just now fucking remembered?! I gave my freedom away for just a _chance_ of seeing you again, and you couldn't tell I was your best friend for ten years? Do you honestly expect me to welcome you back with open arms because you finally figured out who I was? No! No, I'm tired of putting up with your bullshit! You were the one who left us there, who left _me_ there!"

The anger in her eyes flashed, burning holes into my skull. Biting my lip to keep it from quivering, I couldn't do anything but stand there, listening to her rampage.

"I hate you," she hissed. "I'm _done_ with you, _Shika_. You're not Veronica. She died when you chose to dessert your family, and those who cared about you. I hate you, and never want to see your face again. Congratulations, you won all of your strengths, but was it worth its price?"

She pushed past me, walking away to who-knows-where. Tears poured out of my eyes and they stung.

"Estela.." I whispered in a hoarse voice. "Please.."

"Estela is dead, just like Veronica. We're both monsters now, aren't we?"

As she left my view, I curled up and broke down in her cell. When I could remember her in the beginning of my journey, I always felt like she'd eventually leave me if she were to somehow stop by. I guess that time was then.


	41. Bonded By Blood

_**Okay, so I only wrote like a chapter and a half over Thanksgiving break, but it wasn't my fault. No ideas wanted to surface at all. It's not like I don't know what to write next –I have plenty to do- but my hand did not want to cooperate.**_

 _ **I'm still going, though, so no worries!**_

 _ **Onwards.**_

 **Mello:**

Blake sat on the couch. We were back at the hotel, and Shika refused to leave the room. It was stupid the way she was acting. I saw no problem with the two going away. They probably wanted to report back to L, which we should have been doing.

"She still won't get up?"

"No," I growled in frustration.

"Well, the mail came in. There's a letter for a Shika Fauxe, so I assume it's for her. I can't keep track of all her names."

"Then give it to her."

"Hell, no! I'm not going in there. I know that girl, and I don't want to die today, thank you. YOU give it to her if you're so worried about it."

He tossed the envelope at me, and I caught it effortlessly. Looking at the front, I saw her name spelled out in the same font L liked to use when communicating with people over the computer, laptop, or TV. It was obviously from the detective. Should I read it? L might not forgive me if I did..

"Fine."

 **Shika:**

A tentative knock echoed in my dimly lit room, but I stayed in bed. A much louder knock shook the wood considerably. I still didn't get up. _'Huh,'_ I thought. _'The neighbors will get mad if they keep being so loud. Fuck it, who cares?'_ The person decided to come in because they realized I wouldn't answer them. Mello walked over to me, expression peeved.

"L's instructions are here." He tossed an envelope on my mattress. "You better read it."

After he left, I slowly sat up. Taking the letter, I opened it. It was written in English and read:

' _Miss Fauxe,_

' _It is not frequent that a person can deceive Watari or I, so it comes as no surprise that we have discovered your lie to Mr. Ruvie. He was under the assumption that your companion was sent to our location sometime prior to you and your choice. Since he is not here, it is likely that he was sent elsewhere. Why, I do not yet know. There are many possible reasons that could have driven you to such a decision, and I expect a full explanation in your response. If I do not hear back from you, you will be dismissed._

' _I was also informed that you have apprehended one of the Axlum, as you called them. It's a wonder you had not notified me of this sooner, and I can only speculate about Miss Shanua and Meiah._

' _You have much to clarify before I give you our current residency for precautionary measures. Disclosing such sensitive information is a security hazard, as you could be up to any number of things which could be helpful or harmful to the TF and I._

' _Respond as soon as you receive this letter for time's sake. Note my lack of details, and use a similar writing style as well._

 _'Signed,_

 _'Ryuzaki.'_

So L figured out Neches wasn't with us, and Roger told him about Blake. That didn't sound like much of a problem to me, though. I hadn't sent Neches anywhere; he was taken, but what would I tell him? I had to leave out the Xucmbij –Shun- so who would I say took him?

Things were getting too complicated. Shuffling through the drawers, I got out a pen and loose-leaf paper. He wanted an immediate reply, so I'd give him one. As I put the tip of the writing utensil to the page, another knock made me stop.

"Yeah?"

"It's me."

Eyes widening and mouth hanging open, I scrambled off the bed and yanked the door open. There, standing three feet in front of me was my purple-eyes drudge. He looked stressed out, his odd-colored hair messy, and dark bags resided under his eyeballs. His usual care-free demeanor replaced by a melancholy expression.

"Please, don't hit m-"

I threw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly, afraid he'd disappear on me a second time. Slightly stiff, he was surprised by my reaction to his spontaneous arrival. After a second, he relaxed, putting his arms around me in a friendly hug.

"Sorry," he apologized.

Pulling away, I punched him hard. He yelped, rubbing the sore spot.

"Okay, I deserved that one."

"Where the hell were you?! What happened?! You just vanished back at the orphanage over a week ago!"

He seemed genuinely shocked. "Over a week?"

"Uh-huh."

Turning his back to me, he put an arm against the wall like he was building up enough courage to say something. Resting his forehead on the thin plaster, he took a deep breath and let it out.

"Look, Veronica. Dad , he said I could stay with you if you.. If I wasn't your drudge anymore.."

I took a few steps back, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Release him?

"Why?"

"I don't really know why. He was probably upset, and insisted I had to not be your servant."

"..Is it because I remembered Estela?"

Flinching, he nodded his head.

"I see."

I could feel the muscles in my face slacken. My features never displayed my development through traveling, all the wisdom my misfortunes brought on me, but my eyes were another matter. I've had some say that if it weren't for my chocolaty orbs, I'd look innocent, pure, and untainted. How wrongly they fit my description. Est- er, _Roxanne_ was right. I wasn't Veronica at all.

"There was nothing I could do to change his mind. I'm so sorry. I-"

"Don't," I cut him off. His eyes glistened. "I understand how Shun is. It's not your fault."

Standing, I crossed the room to where he stood. He turned to face me, eyes watery and downcast. He didn't want this, and neither did I, but not having Neches was impossible. He knew all there was about me other than being a vampire, even though we hardly ever talked about my past. It was our bond as vampire and drudge. If I got rid of that, would we still be close?

Grabbing his shoulders gently, I bit his neck. Without drinking any blood, I forced my will to break his involuntary servitude. A rush went from my body into his bloodstream, and I could taste it in his veins. Something cold and wet dripped on my cheek, and the strong scent of salt overpowered the crimson. Neches was crying silently.

Internally, I was, too.


	42. Exchange

_**This is just the letters L and Shika send to each other 'cause I'm too lazy to add what they do when getting the other's envelope. Sorry. :P**_

 _ **I think it's crap, but whatever. You guys have to hear what they said to understand what's going on, so, for your needs, here's the next chapter. Two in one day again!**_

 _ **Enjoy.**_

 _'Ryuzaki,_

' _I am pleased to say Neches has made an appearance again. As I finished reading your letter, he entered my room. M and our special guest can verify this if you want via a phone call. Neches said his legal guardian demanded an immediate meeting, which I was not aware of. The reason I didn't tell you he was gone was because he didn't let me know before he left._

' _Blake_ is _one of the Axlum. Meiah and Roxanne were released, but requested we not contact them for the time being. I don't blame them, seeing as I, too, spent time with the group, more than I could ever wish. He's now my drudge, and has to do what I say. Worrying about betrayal isn't necessary for his will doesn't matter at this point._

' _Please don't jump the gun and fire me. You have nothing that would suggest I'm compromised. I haven't burned anyone since the night before meeting Mr. Ruvie –don't ask. No one else knows about my 'condition', either._

' _About the Axlum, Blake won't be a problem, but there are two left, and they should have realized I escaped with their captives by now. They won't be happy, which makes them unpredictable. I've seen them do many things, and angering these two wasn't wise, nor does it make them rational. I should actually be prepared to leave at a moment's notice. Don't freight about anonymity, as well. On my life, I will not reveal anything to anyone. I'll swear it in person for your assurance._

' _When do you want us to return?_

' _From,_

' _Shika Fauxe'_

' _Miss Fauxe,_

' _Your excuses are flimsy at best, but they are also plausible. Only an in-person conversation will help me decide which it is. I am aware of a drudge's loyalty. It is difficult to forget such knowledge. Still, the other two will be an issue, which makes your return complicated. M and Blake will have access to our location, but Neches and yourself won't be permitted back until further notice._

' _We will have much to speak of, I am sure. Our lead has hit what one would call an obstacle, but it will be easily over-come._

' _Signed,_

' _Ryuzaki'_


	43. New Ah-Rivals

_**I'm trying e new method of split points of views. It's pretty simple, but tell me if you need it to be more specific.**_

 _ **Three in one day?!**_

 _ **Onwards!**_

 **Near:**

The phone gave out a soft chime. Dragging my finger across the screen, I did as Shika Fauxe had instructed. I had been sent an instant message, and I went over it. NOW was all it said. This would have confused most –especially with such advanced technology- but my real instructions were contained in a letter so there'd be no documentation once it was set ablaze.

I was to travel to Japan accompanied by Matt, the third in line for L's future successors. Upon our arrival, we were to meet the woman whom worked alongside Detective L and the Japanese Task Force. We had brushed up on the widely accepted dialect for the Kanto Region, as well as several others for good measure. Roger Ruvie would fund our expedition. Whether he knows our true goal depends on various factors. If the need arise, a fabrication would be woven together.

Putting the reflective device into my garments, I proceeded to get ready my belongings for the trip. It wouldn't take much time for I had little wants for material objects unlike my peers here at Wammy's House. Matt would have received a similar message. Regardless of how engrossed in his favored hobby –playing stimulating video games- he would do what he had been instructed to do.

My letter was quite _concerning_ , however. I was not to go forth with any information from my charge to another party. Shika was very insistent with us that silence was required, as I had speculated. The Kira investigation was a life-or-death struggle. Should the wrong person hear or see something they should not have, it would be certain demise to those involved.

 **Shika:**

"Good news," I announced, standing in front of Mello and Blake. "You two are leaving."

The blonde boy lit up, but he then smothered his excitement as much as he could to seem cool unaffected. The brunette smiled widely, stretching his arms.

"Finally," he said. "I was getting tired of sitting around here all day. Remind me why we couldn't go out again."

"Because you're untrustworthy, are too slippery to keep an eye on in crowded places, and I just wanted to annoy you."

He rolled his eyes. "Figured."

"We're going to meet L?"

"Yep. Get repacked. L already arranged the transportation for you two, so don't be late. Blake, do NOT leave Mello and go to the Axlum or Cupviji. Once you guys are at the hotel, stay and do what L or Watari tell you to do. No harming anyone, no breaking anything, no shape shifting, no escaping, and don't cause trouble."

"God damn it. You're no fun at all."

"I don't care. Mello," I turned to him. "Don't talk about what Blake and I can do. The last thing we need is L figuring out I'm not just a.. well, that part's not important, really. Got it?"

Frowning, he nodded in agreement.

"Great, now go. I gotta meet someone soon."

* * *

"You're going to talk to Light."

Spinning on my heel, I faced a sleepy Neches. He rubbed his eye lazily, letting out a soft yawn. He had a bad case of bed-head, and his clothes were rumpled from being in bed. I was holding the doorknob in my hand, dressed for slightly cool weather.

"Oh? Uh, yeah, I am. You should go back to bed."

I looked back out into the hallway, checking both ways for people. Guess I'll never not be paranoid. Taking a step out of the hotel room, a hand grabbed my elbow. I forgot often that living humans could be so warm.

"Veronica.."

Huh. He hadn't called me 'Mom' since we interrogated Blake.

"Do you want me to go with you?"

I hadn't really expected him to offer his help.

"Uhm, no, I'm good. Who's going to mess with a vampire at 2 in the morning? Besides, Light won't trust me if I show up with someone he thinks works for L. Thanks, though."

His features seemed to grow sad, like he had wanted me to say yes. Walking back to his room, he gave a weak wave over his shoulder.

"See yah.."

What did I do to make him act like that?

 **L/Blake:**

Mello and Blake arrived at the custom-made building that L had Watari construct in the early morning hours. The Task Force was gone, and the detective sat in a chair, staring intently at the screen before him, which displayed the blonde model tied up in what looked like a straight jacket and leather straps. They knocked on his door, but he never looked away.

"Come in."

Mello walked in first, eyes immediately landing on the black and white man. He hadn't seen L a lot, but it was enough for him to recognize who he was. Blue eyes wide, he was at a loss for words. Blake came in behind the boy, face showing his caution. Veronica supported this character from this show. What made him so special? He looked like a druggie trying to go without a fix and failing.

"Mello," L said, nibbling his thumb. "Room 542, 10th floor."

The kid nodded, understanding his meaning. On his way out, he looked at the brunette like he was disgusted at him for getting to stay with his role model. The door shut, and L tilted his head to look at the occupant still there with him out of the corner of his eye.

"You are Blake," he commented in English, noticing his foreign appearance. "And you kidnapped two women. You could be tried, and then be put into jail where Kira may or may not pass judgment upon you. Why should I not have the police arrest you now?"

Laughing loudly –almost like Beyond Birthday to L's ears- the man crossed his arms and regained his composure.

"With what evidence?"

He knew he had called Ryuzaki's bluff by his silence. It had been a test to see aspects of his personality. This told him he would fight for himself, and was at least slightly intelligent, maybe observant or at least self-aware.

"You are Shika Fauxe's drudge, and, as such, you must obey her direct command. What has she instructed you to do while you are here?"

"I couldn't leave that squirt until after we got here, and had to do what you and that other guy said, the old man, I think. I also couldn't harm people, wreck stuff –basically nothing that causes trouble-, escape, or shape shift."

Unconsciously, L found himself losing interest in his quiet captive, shifting gears to what had just came out of the gang member's mouth.

"Repeat the last condition."

" 'Shape shifting'?"

"I thought that is what you said. You have abilities most do not possess, like Miss Fauxe, but she is a vampire, and you are human. How did you come to obtain them?"

Blake grinned wickedly. Shika hadn't told him not to talk about this topic, but only had Mello promise not to say anything. And with her not there to moderate what he said, he could divulge anything he felt like saying. If he got this man to distrust her, maybe he'd accidently help him capture his target.

"From her."

"She said that becoming a drudge does not give a human vampiric traits."

"She's right. It doesn't, but the Axlum all got powers from her. At the time, she was known as Mononoke Jade –just another one of her aliases. We met her in a lab which was experimenting with giving humans different abilities from animals illegally. When she appeared in our world, the scientists in the lab caught her and tried to use her DNA for military purposes. Four serums were made, only half injected into us three who later became the Axlum.

"Mononoke took the last one, giving herself the full dose instead, then destroyed the rest of them. We escaped the lab and the people there, but she turned on us. We protested about her being selfish and wanting to be stronger than everyone, just like the humans we had just escaped from."

"So you took it upon yourselves to use her to recreate the original serums to fully inject it into the four of you," he finished flatly, not at all sympathetic to his my warped spin on events.

"You make it sound like we ambushed her or something," he barked.

"Did you not?"

" . . . ."

L no longer cared for what he had to say. Obviously, he thought he could manipulate him by making Shika seem awful. Truthfully, he didn't care either way. Their issues with one another weren't his concern. So long as his job wasn't impaired by these individuals, he wouldn't mind.

"Room 961, 62nd floor. Cameras and monitors are placed inside this entire building, and there are various alarms and security systems to keep track of your presence at all times. Stay on your own floor, or I will assign someone to watch you 24/7. You may call me Ryuzaki for security reasons."

L went back to the screen. Blake's eye twitched angrily. He didn't like how arrogant the man sounded. He could kill this man in hundreds of ways, yet it was like nothing he did had much impact on his life or mood. They won't get along. On that level, they both silently agreed on.


	44. Scheming

_**Guest, you are correct! It was Rido Kuran who bit Shika. You probably won't read this until later on, but still.**_

 _ **Christmas is sneaking around the corner, so tell me if you want a little side chapter full of funny things that are unrelated to the plotline. Note: if made, it will not be involved with the story at all, like an AU of sorts.**_

 _ **Readers, ho!**_

 **Shika:**

"Why did you wait until passes midnight to come to my house?"

"Well," I replied. "Would you prefer I come when Sayo gets back, or when your mom's doing the dishes? Oh, how about when your dad gets home to blow my cover with L! I'm sure that would be great, don't you think, Light?"

Light Yagami stood out on his terrace along with Ryuk and I. The moon was beginning to dip, its light illuminating all of our features with phantom-like hues. No cars drove by, and no one was taking late-night walks.

"Where did you go?" he asked, changing subjects.

"America. I was sent to Los Angeles to find a detective by the name of Eraldo Coil. After I gave him the letter, he told me to choose one of his pupils to help me work on some basic deductive reasoning skills so I could pass as L's relative better. Coil and I flew back once he thought I was ready. It was really boring."

"L sent for the detective? Why?"

I shrugged my shoulders. Even I didn't have the answer to that.

"To bounce theories off each other? I don't know. Whenever I try getting him to tell me, he dodges the question. It'd be suspicious if I'm continuously pushing him for it, and I don't want to lose his trust yet."

"He must trust you," Kira countered. "He sent you alone to bring back someone who'll be useful in pushing the investigation forwards."

Why was Light so damn observant?

"..Do you know what's going on with the case?"

"Shouldn't you already know?"

"No. Ryuzaki said I couldn't go back until I take care of a few 'problems' first. I have a life outside of all this Kira stuff."

Jeesh, I should have watched what I said about Kira and his 'mission'. I upset him, but that wasn't hard to do. If you said anything about Kira in a flippant manner, he'd start planning your death ASAP.

"Hm. The Task Force arrested a suspect whom L believes is the Second Kira last month, but so far, he hasn't confessed or said a thing. I knew he was an idiot, but he got caught almost immediately after.." He slowly looked up at me, eyes glinting with a thought.

Crap. I'm screwed.

"You haven't been telling me everything," he finished. "You met the imposter before L sent you away, and when you left, he was on his own again. You were the one who told him what to say in the last tape, making it harder to tell if he had actually met the real Kira."

Crossing my arms, I played the only card I had left.

"Yes, I did. I planned on introducing you to him after the tape was aired so L couldn't tie you to him if he was caught, but I was sent away, and I wasn't able to get around to talking with him a second time. At least now the Task Force has nothing to prove you're Kira."

He contemplated what I had said, trying to spot holes to show I was lying. Soon, he nodded his head.

"He has the Eyes, which could be very valuable for me. It's only a matter of time before they discover his Death Note and L zeros back in on me. If you could somehow manage to break out the Second Kira, we can learn L's name. If all else fails, you can kill him and take his Death Note as your own."

I took a moment to think this through. It was a great plan, one that would actually mean L dies. It would be foolproof, if it weren't for one minor detail: I sided with Ryuzaki, not Kira.

"I'll do it," I agreed. "The sooner L dies, the better."

The student nodded, considering who-knows-what. To be honest, mind reading would be a power that would have helped me out a lot, especially with people like Light. One can dream.


	45. Random Fact 271

_**Depression again, so sorry if this sucks.**_

 **Shika:**

" _Eraldo Coil?"_

"Yes," I responded. "Do you think you can pass the message on to Ryuzaki as soon as you can? It's urgent."

" _Of course,"_ Watari said on the other end of the line. _"Is that all I can do for you?"_

"Yeah, that's all. Thanks."

" _Very well, then."_

He hung up.

Grinning, I put away my phone. I was currently sitting in a new hotel, and Neches was out buying food. He had been nostalgic lately, and it was killing me that I couldn't know why he was behaving like that by simply reaching out mentally for his mind and feeling the reason. My head was so empty without him, and Blake was too far away for our connection to do much. That, however, I was glad for. The guy's a jackass.

It wouldn't be long until Zeke and Amanda to show up. If they track Blake, then they'd find L and the Task Force. Not to worry, though. None of them were their targets.

' _Oujo-sama~'_

My eyes were as wide as saucers as I straightened my posture stiffly. That voice hadn't been spoken aloud, but was more of a buzz inside my brain.

"Shun?" I asked slowly.

' _Of course.'_

Wrinkling my nose, I looked around for him. "What do _you_ want?"

' _Can't I have a casual chat with my traveler?'_

"There's no such thing with you."

' _That's true. I'm here to tell you something. Are you ready?'_

"..Do I need to know this, or is it an optional lecture?"

' _Nope! Now pay attention. You remember Estela, yes?'_

"You better shut your fu-"

' _Now, now, dear, that's no way for a young lady to speak. You know how she was a witch?'_

"…Yeah."

' _And how you're a vampire?'_

"Yeah?"

' _You were turned into a vampire, right?'_

"We both already know that answer," I said angrily.

' _Haven't you ever wondered how she became a witch? One can't simply get infected by magic powers like vampires or werewolves can.'_

"Is this a mythology lesson?"

' _In a way, yes. She visited her first dimension, which was a book series she rather enjoyed when she was a child. Her Xucmbij liked it, too, so she was sent there. The main characters had met an alien prince who was dying one night, and he gave these kids the power to turn into any animal they 'acquire.' Basically, if they touch an animal –or human- they can be that creature for up to two hours at a time. If they stay longer, they are then stuck in that animal's body forever. Estela gained this power while she was there.'_

"So you're saying she found a witch, and then _morphed_ into one herself?"

' _Have you noticed her white hair? It isn't dyed that way.'_

"But she looks exactly the same as she did before! How could she be another person if she's herself?"

' _Hahahah,'_ he laughed. _'Still not getting the bigger picture? Fine, I'll spell it out for you.'_

"Oh, wow. I didn't think you knew how to give non-cryptic, straight-forwards tidbits of information. The world's coming to an end!"

' _Honestly, I'll leave if you stay this sarcastic.'_

"Whatever."

' _You can find yourself in every dimension, no matter where you go.'_

"…If that's true, then why wasn't L able to find any records of me anywhere?"

' _You haven't been born here yet. Look at the year on a calendar.'_

"So, in a few years, a Veronica Warren will be born?"

' _Precisely.'_

"What does all of this have to do with Este- er, Roxanne being a witch?"

' _She found herself in another dimension, acquired herself, and proceeded to use this morph to her advantage. She spent over two hours as a witch so she wouldn't need to dimorph all the time. Estela is now permanently her other dimensional self. Should she ever go back to the place where her doppelganger lives, the laws of space-time-reality will tear themselves apart until the two no longer exist, as will their home dimensions.'_

" . . . . Why did I need to know this?"

' _Why not?'_ he laughed. _'I was only being nice.'_

"You, _nice_? Since when?"

' _It pains me when you insult my lack of sympathy and empathy,'_ he said without any actual offense in his tone. _'It really does.'_

"Says the man who made me give up my first, best drudge over one mistake."

' _Ah, but you see, that's where you're wrong. I'm not a man, and you should remember that.'_

He wasn't being cynical or snooty, but was more like trying to reminding me that my jokes don't mean much in his ancient eyes. It might as well have been cute as when an adult lets a kid think they know more about a bedtime story than they do because they don't have the heart to tell them otherwise.

"Go away, Shun. I'm trying to set up my defenses, and if you want me to survive the next week, it'd be greatly appreciated if you would simply _fuck off_ , okay?"

I had been rolling my eyes, but by the time I looked directly where he should have been, he was no longer standing there. I hated when he left without saying he's going.


	46. Hacker Pad

_**I realized something after writing this chapter: Estela/Roxanne and Neches look like two of L's successors –Near and Matt.**_

 _ **Onwards!**_

 **Matt:**

Near and I stood outside a hotel room on the third floor. The number on the plaque was 86. Inside would be Shika Fauxe, the woman who had asked for our help with the Kira investigation without L's authority.

As I lifted a fist to knock the door, it swung open, revealing a blue haired girl with brown irises and pale skin. Resting on top her head were sunglasses. Why she needed those inside was unclear. Her mouth curved into a smile upon seeing us there.

"Come on in."

We did as instructed, looking around. I don't know about Near, but it was pretty spacious and had a very expensive assortment of items. Outside, the building seemed like any normal complex for middle class people, but inside, it was similar to a 5 star hotel in size and cleanliness state of the room. My jaw hung agape as I tried to absorb and appreciate the amount of effort to build something like this. Roger was really going all-out for this girl.

Letting my gaze wonder, I spotted the TV. It was a 45V-inch digital _high_ -definition LCD, the latest development of the year. I rushed over tears of joy filled my orbs. For a second, I forgot my audience and sniffled while hugging the screen as best as I could.

"It's beautiful.."

Shika cleared her throat loudly to gain my attention. Snapping out of my 'nerd world', as Mello often called it, and froze in embarrassment.

"Matt enjoys multiple types of electronics, usually active participation counsels, which he insists increases accurate hand-eye coordination. Excuse his outburst."

"Noted," the woman replied, giving an awkward laugh.

"I- uh.. Sorry," I apologized.

"Well. . . Moving on. Did you bring the equipment?"

"Yes," Near answered, signaling for me to get out the things we brought.

"Right here."

I picked up one of our trunks we had and set it in front of the long couch, sitting on the plush cushions. Popping the lock open, I lifted the lid to reveal our treasure trove of computers, walkie-talkies, cables, wires, chargers, adaptors, and more.

"Everything we'll need is in here," I said proudly, patting the case.

"Great. Now, let's get started. Near, take the voice-scrambler and microphones. You're gonna need them. Matt, get out a laptop, one that you can use to hack into secure servers and track an implant on. Try this area first, then sweep in gradually growing circles until you get a hit." She handed me a slip of paper with an address on it. "You can label it 'Mello' or 'M' for short."

I blinked a second before responding. She hadn't told us he was involved, too. I mean, it makes sense, but he was with L…

Oh. Got it.

Giving a nod, I took out my best computer and began typing. While I did that, Shika and the albino kid sat off to the side, talking. Since they were whispering, I couldn't hear what they said. No doubt it was important. Near was engrossed in the conversation, only occasionally speaking back, but his face never portrayed his exact emotion.

It took some time, but I finally caught what she wanted.

"Hey, why are there _two_ signals?"

"Hm? One's a live security feed that I 'liberated' some time ago, and the other's Mello's tracking device. Focus on the latter for now, but you'll have to watch the video later on so we'll know everything the Task Force and L do."

"Did Mello agree to have a tracker?"

"Mostly."

"What?"

"Nothing," she dismissed. "Just lock in on it."

". . Okay."

 **Near:**

"Do you know what to do?" Shika Fauxe questioned.

"I understand my role," I replied.

"Do you think you can do it?"

"It is within my performance levels."

" . . . . I'll take that as a yes."

"Why is it imperative to withhold such information from L?"

"Because his life is literally on the line, and if we screw up, a lot of people could and will die, including us."

"I see your point."

"Then get started." She stood up. "I gotta run for a bit, but keep doing what you're doing, guys. Neches is my partner, so he'll stay here with you in case something happens. If need be, he'll contact me via text. Don't do it yourselves, though. IT gives you plausible deniability in case someone finds out what we're doing here." She yelled out a door that separated the living area from sleeping areas. "Neches!"

". . . What?!" was shouted back with a slight delay.

"I'm going out!"

"Good for you!"

"You need to get in here first!"

"Why?!"

"Because I said so!"

"Ugh, fine!"

She smiled at us as a man stepped in the room. He had strange purple irises and magenta tresses. He was currently wearing black jean material and nothing else, leaving his chest bare for the eye to see. His body was tan and rather developed, which was considered attractive to most women of appropriate age. In a logical assessment, he would fall under the higher end of numerical rating amongst social peers.

He seemed surprised that Matt and I were present as he eyed us before looking to his companion.

"What the hell's going on?"

"YouhavetowatchthemwhileIgooutandlookforsomeoneokayseeyoubye!"

She ran out the door, not giving any of us time to process her sentence until after she was gone. Neches stared at the wood for a moment, sure it was a joke and that she would come back, but she did not return. He gave out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck.

"..Let me guess, she gave you orders then split, right?"

Matt nodded, and I noticed that their hair was similar in both pigmentation and style, the older boy's more side-swept, however. One could say they could be relatives.

"Typical," he muttered, shaking his head while smiling softly. "Well, I'm Neches, like the American river that isn't well known."

"I'm Matt, and this is Near."

He looked somewhat perplexed.

"That's your real name?"

"I am not going to answer your question. There could be too many scenarios which are probable, like you inadvertently telling a Kira supporter this new information, triggering a chain reaction that could ultimately leads to an untimely demise."

". . . ." It took a moment for his brain to comprehend the sum of my words. "Well, aren't you just a little slice of dark chocolate cake."

The younger boy laughed heartily, closing his laptop temporarily to high-five Neches.

"You have _no_ idea."


	47. Blood Haze

_**Onwards!**_

 **Shika:**

After ditching Neches with Matt and Near, I made my way to the closest park, which I found by smelling trees instead of gasoline. I needed a less populated area to do something that everyone would say was completely mental.

When I was among the trees and saw practically no one behind my dark-tinted sunglasses, I leaned against a sturdy trunk, crossing my arms. My muscles didn't want to relax, so I forced it to ease at least a little tension. All I had to do was unmask my presence, which automatically hid out of habit. As soon as it was broadcasted, a sawing chill crept down my spine and some pain seeped close behind the feeling.

"The last time I saw you, you were unconscious," said an all-too familiar female voice.

"Actually, I was faking."

I smirked, facing the blonde woman. Her hazel orbs were disinterested, but I knew how she was feeling on the inside. The way I let her find me caused her to be suspicious with some curiosity mixed in as well.

"So, Amanda, where's Zeke?"

"Not here," she replied. "Where's Blake?"

"Not here."

"Fair enough." She circled me slowly, watching my every move. "I'm actually glad you busted those two out. They were nothing like you, whining and begging us to stop. It was annoying, to say the least. I imagine she left you, is that right?"

I growled, my temper flared, and I struggled to squish it down. Amanda loved to use mind games, unlike Blake's brute force and head-on attacks. It was her way of dissecting you, taking apart your resolve by making you feel worthless.

' _Bite her,'_ Shun spoke in my head. It startled me so much that I jumped. _'Do to her what you did to Blake. Bite her!'_

"Is that your Xucmbij?"

My head turned to look at Amanda again. Her face now displayed a cocky attitude. Why was she asking about him?

"..Why do you care? You guys hate them."

Putting the back of her hand near her mouth like a spoiled snob, she laughed at my question loudly.

"Oh, that's adorable! If you only knew what he's done, you would be trying to kill him, however unsuccessful you'd be. Shouldn't you have learned that Immortals lie by now? It's sad, really, to see all your talents wasted on you. At least _we'd_ enjoy it."

' _Do it,'_ he urged. _'Now, while she's distracted.'_

' _It's only another mind game,'_ I told myself. _'She's trying to bait you.'_

"You want to know what happened to Blake?" I asked her, squaring my shoulders. "He's my drudge now."

"What's a _drudge_?"

She stopped walking, favoring to stand still and try to follow where I was going with my willing compliance to tell her what happened to her comrade. I adjusted my stance so we were facing each other. My hands twitched slightly in anticipation of blood. Neches still let me drink from him, but I had forgotten to eat before Matt and Near showed up.

"It means I bit him, so now he has to do what I say."

Rolling her eyes, she dismissed my statement. "Yeah, and I'm a werewolf."

Her comment made me chuckle, but it must have sounded dark because I could hear her heart pound harder.

"There's a reason why he helped me break out Estela and Meiah; why he isn't back with you and Zeke." As I talked, I approached her, but she didn't seem to notice how close I was getting. "Didn't you find it odd that he brought me and I got out so easily? That we found the others so fast? I bet you never suspected he'd betray the Axlum, but he did. He didn't have a choice after I made him my servant."

"But that's not possible," she blurted out, confused beyond belief. "Biting a person doesn't bind him to you."

"Wanna bet?"

It was then that she saw me merely two feet before her, and I surged forwards, arms reaching out. My hands curled around her shoulders, nails digging into her skin. The smell hit me like a tidal wave, making my eyes respond by changing color. The shades I had been wearing fell off, but I didn't care all that much. The hunger had a different affect on me like it was starting to consume my intestines. Latching my mouth on her neck, I bit and let the sweet flood fill my belly.

Amanda struggled feebly, the same way Blake had when I drank from him, and, just as before, she eventually grew weak. Her body slackened in my grip, but I kept gulping her blood down. I needed more.

I don't honestly know how long it took, but I finally broke away. My taste buds got that poprock-like sensation again. It was as though electricity was sparking across them, dancing and tingling. Maybe it was intoxicating because my head began to swim, and my balance went out the window. What a head-rushing buzz indeed.

It occurred to me that I might have drunk more than I had intended, so I knelt beside her, and saw how pale her skin was. Her lips were slightly blue, and I placed a hand in front of them. There was no air coming out of it, so I checked for a pulse. Again, nothing. Horror caused me to sit there, staring at the once alive body. I had killed her.

 **Light:**

"This man is Eraldo Coil," L said, "but you may refer to him as Blake."

The man before me was roughly my height and had a similar build. His hair was brown, as were his eyes. We looked somewhat alike. This was the second best detective in the world, and he was only about eighteen. You could tell he was used to doing physical activities.

"Hello, I'm Light," I said with a friendly tone, extending a hand to shake as Americans do.

He looked at it like it was diseased and infectious, not returning my gesture of good will. Instead of taking it, he gave a curt nod then went to sit heavily on the couch. I got the feeling that he had gotten on Ryuzaki's nerve, and _'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'_ wouldn't apply in this situation. The room radiated with awkward tension, so, of course, Matsui decided to speak up.

"Wow, so you guys are teaming up on Kira? He won't stand a chance, now!"

Internally, I couldn't help but say my opinion of what I thought about the two detectives going against me. It didn't matter if it was one or one thousand, they'd never defeat me.


	48. Drifting

_**Another filler, guys. Sorry, but I'm trying something here.**_

 _ **Onwards, and all. :P**_

 **Neches:**

Matt and I sat on the comfortable couch, pressing the buttons on the controllers. We had hocked up a GameCube to the TV in the living room, and were playing NickToons Unite. I was Danny Phantom, and Matt was SpongeBob. We had argued a little, but decided to switch characters if one of us died. Near was off doing who-knows-what.

"Break the headstones," he said. "They give you more coins."

I nodded, rushed over, and _A-B_ 'ed the tombs in the Amity Park Cemetery. Some were duds, and others gave blue or copper coins.

"Switch to Timmy. We have to shrink that mausoleum over there."

"On it."

It was an intense couple hours of gaming. Our fun ended when Veronica came back sometime after sundown. She opened the door without a noise, shuffling her feet sluggishly. Her sunglasses weren't with her, and she wore a shaded expression. I paused the game and went up to her.

"Are you okay?"

Slowly, she lifted her head so she could look me in the eye. They were lackluster and shrouded in a dense fog. I got a small shake of her head, but no words.

"What happened?" I asked, concern filling my voice.

" . . . . "

Matt leaned his head, trying to see us past the back of the couch. His curiosity made me hesitate. Maybe we should have a private conversation free of prying ears. They didn't know about her, and it had seemed she wanted it to stay that way. So, taking her wrist, I pulled her into the hallway leading to the bedrooms. I lowered my voice to where it was barely above a whisper.

"What's wrong, Veronica? You were gone for five hours!"

"Nothing," she said with a gruffness I'd never heard her use before.

"It wasn't 'nothing' if it's got you this depressed."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Please. I was really worried about you."

"Yeah," she snapped sarcastically. "You and Matt looked like you were about to drop dead with stress."

Her words stung. They hurt me worse than getting released from being her drudge. It made me flinch back, the pain plain in my eyes. She could have slapped me, and that wouldn't have been equal to what she had just implied.

Veronica pushed past me, heading for her bedroom. After I recovered from the verbal blow, I took a hold of her elbow, turning her to face me.

"We may not be bonded, but I'm still your friend."

Her eyes narrowed into slits, and she yanked her arm free of my grasp.

"You don't know me," she hissed. "Estela was right. I'm nothing but a monster."

"No you're not," I pleaded, wishing she could somehow much I wanted to help her.

"Really?" She laughed bitterly, and I saw regret deep in her orbs. "I had to hide a corpse. _That's_ what made me so late, so unless murder is suddenly acceptable, then you don't have an argument in favor of your opinion."

My jaw dropped. "You.. You _killed_ someone?"

"You see?" was the last thing she had to say before proceeding to the room, slamming the door shut on her way in.

I stood there a moment, trying to wrap my mind around what she had said. She killed someone, and then hid the body. If the boys heard anything about that, then they'd probably tell the police or L. The last thing we needed was to be thrown in jail.

 **Mello:**

The chocoholic blonde yawned loudly, rubbing his eye to try and whip away the sleepiness he felt. If L could stay wide awake until 1 in the morning, then so could Mello. Said detective was sitting in his signature crouch, stirring tea and sugar in a small glass cup.

At the moment, Ryuzaki was studying Misa Amane, muttering under his breath. His thumb rested on his bottom lip, almost inside his mouth. He then leaned forwards, pressing down on the microphone that connected him to her cell.

"Miss Amane, do you know why you are here?"

She ignored him completely, or she was asleep.

"You are suspected of being the Second Kira. Do you deny this accusation?"

Silence.

"Miss Amane?.. Do you wish to confess to being the Second Kira?"

The pre-teen let out another yawn. Things were slow-going seeing as the investigation was up against a wall. It wasn't how he thought would happen, that was for sure. The Task Force had been told he was Eraldo Coil's apprentice, and that Blake was the second best detective out there. He was surprised when they didn't question a thing L said.

They were just a bunch of sheep, save for Light Yagami. Something about him was… _off_. There was one thing Mello knew: Light was hiding something, but what?

And that silly cop whose name he could never remember. He kept giving L these strange side-glances every so often. Why he did this, he had no clue. Maybe he'll find out just to fill his time there.


	49. No Choice

_**Enjoy!**_

 **Shika:**

I basically did the same thing I did when we got back from rescuing Estela and Meiah: lay in bed and shut out the world. There was yet another death I had a hand in. Killing Amanda hadn't been my intention, but I still did it.

Oh, wow. The room just got really hot. It felt like the temperature had risen ten degrees. What the?...

Lifting a lazy hand, I closed my eyes and focused. A small flame ignited in my palm as I let out my pent-up power. I had eaten a lot recently, so I had to release my abilities in a controlled manner every now and then, or else they make me spontaneously combust as L had put it.

Come to think of it, my insides had been feeling funny lately. It started right after I kil- .. er, _bit_ Amanda. No, it went back further, to the time I fought Blake. It was subtle, so much so that it didn't register until now, when it increased so I had to recognize it. I sat up, squeezing my hand into a fist and putting out the fire. I then placed my other hand under my rib cage.

The air stiffened; sparkles shined and floated around, suspended all around me. Everything took on a blue hue. Laughter echoed in my ears, and then the glitter formed into a solidified figure. Shun stood before the bed, a wide grin etched on his face. He gave a mock bow, black irises full of amusement.

"How do you do, oujo-sama?"

In response to his presence, I glared at the ravenette who took on a human appearance for the sake of my mind. He once said that if he showed up in his real form, my brain would liquefy and melt out of my ears.

"Cut the crap. Why are you here?"

If it wasn't obvious, I held him slightly accountable for my killing her, and also myself. Mainly myself. But that didn't mean I couldn't be mad at him, too.

"I didn't get to explain why I wanted you to bite that troublesome girl."

Debating in my head, I stopped glaring, but kept my guard up. He didn't, did he?

"It better be a good fucking reason."

"Oh, it is. Blake hasn't attempted to shape shift, has he?"

"..No."

"Have you?"

"Have I what?"

"Tried to shape shift, silly girl."

"..Uh, no."

"And why not?" He seemed upset like a spoiled child talking to his mother who was refusing to let him have ice cream for lunch.

"Because my injection didn't give me that power. It hardly did anything at all."

He shook his head, tsk'ing me.

"I should have known you'd think that."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!"

"Nothing. Why don't you try turning into something? Perhaps a person or an animal. Oh, I know! Why don't you morph into your old half-demon self? I liked you better that way. You weren't much of a human then."

"Arra Hemlock? Really?" He nodded rapidly, so I sighed. "Sure, fine."

I closed my eyelids again, imagining how I used to look like in Inuyasha: My hair was a royal purple and was in a pixie-cut. My eyes were as silver as the moon or unicorn blood. My shirt showed my belly button and only had one strap that was 3 inches across. My skirt was short, only reaching halfway down my thighs. I had no shoes and a swath of material that made up my other clothes covering my right forearm. Everything I wore was made out of black scales from some kind of large reptile I later found out was some dragon-like demon. The Mark on my hand had only one symbol at the time.

Shun let out a wolf whistle. "Much better~"

Rolling my orbs, I went up to the mirror. There stood Arra, my second trips' persona. After escaping the Axlum the first time, I Jumped into the feudal era. For some reason, I had fallen asleep in the portal, and woke up on top of a hill. I found a river after being chased out of a small village. I looked in the water and saw the girl I saw now: a half-breed Dire Wolf demon. My demon senses were exactly like my vampire self's'. Resting a hand on the glass, I turned back to Shun.

"But how?.."

"You took the black serum, right?"

"The one you said was for me? Of course."

Satisfied, he let his gaze travel up and down my body, lingering too long in certain places for my liking. Nodding his head, he dropped down in the desk chair. His posture was easy-going, not at all acting like he bullied Neches into doing something he didn't want to do, but I didn't have room to talk. It was hard to hold a grudge, though. Shun saved my life, so I owed him everything.

"Blake took the blue one; Amanda, the green. You, however, took the black one. Plus, you gave them half the full dose -which was rather smart- but you took all of yours. It was that color for a reason. You see, black is made as a combination of all of the colors put together. Your serum can absorb the others. The tricky part was finding a way for you to extract said serum and have it dispersed throughout your bloodstream."

I understood a few things better.

"You _wanted_ Rido to turn me. That way, when I bit one of the Axlum, I'd get their abilities like a pureblood killing and drinking form another pureblood. It wasn't an accident you told me Yuki was on the roof. You knew!"

"Yes, I did. We both know how much he likes to eat. Surely, he'd try to drain all of your blood in one setting, and how you would fight back. I was hoping you'd resort to biting him back in self-defense. It was quite a risk, but you did marvelously, I must say. You even managed to get enough of his blood in you to complete the change. The fact you regained consciousness & Jumped right afterwards showed me you were almost ready."

The last sentence sent anxiety down my spine.

"Ready for what?"

"Well, I was going to wait to tell you, but there's no point in delaying any longer. There is a contest coming up –a tournament of sorts. Since you are my pick, you have to compete amongst other humans. Each compotator is selected by a Xucmbij, and are sent through four dimensions to train them to adapt to anything and everything that could be thrown at them. That Mark on your hand symbolizes your successes so far."

"But I'm missing one," I piped up.

"Because there's still a problem you haven't solved yet, but you're pretty close. In fact, there's only one thing in your way."

"…Zeke."

"Exactly."

"Wait, if the contestants are Xucmbij choices, does that mean I have to fight Estela?"

"Only humans are allowed to enter," he reassured. "She's a witch."

I sighed in relief, then found yet another problem.

"But, I'm not a human either. I'm-"

"-a vampire," he finished. "Yes, BUT you can be human now. If you imagine it – _Poof!-_ instant homo sapiens."

"Look, this sounds fun and all, but why are you guys making people do this gladiator battle? What's the point?"

"It's to waste time. We've lived for eternity, and we get bored easily. Traveling through an infinite number of dimensions got old a long, long, _long_ time ago. Humans have been a part of our amusement since they first developed. They fight each other not only to survive, but for pleasure or power as well. They might be just as greedy as Xucmbij are. They refuse to give up, too, no matter how their chances look. Someone could be pointing a gun at them, and if they thought they would die regardless, then they'd charge head-on just to go down with a fight. You don't have to worry, though, Veronica. You're much stronger than any of the others. I've ensured that. You'll win hands down."

"And if I don't want to?"

Shun tilted his head –a habit he picked up from me. He couldn't force me to do it, regardless of what I owed him.

"Sweat girl, you don't have a say in the matter. You'll participate, whether you agree or not. Do you remember what I told you when you were in Cupviji the first time around? I replaced something inside you. I took away your free will. Sure, you can make decisions and plot all you want, but in the end, you will comply."

The reality of it all set in. Everything he had done and given me was for _his_ benefit, not mine.

"I should have figured you had your own plans for me, but I can't believe I couldn't see that sooner. You saving me, giving me 'gifts', and trying to keep me pacified; it was all to prepare me for this mêlée."

"Of course it was. I told you from the beginning that what I wanted didn't matter _'at the moment.'_ That moment has come, for good or for worse."

"You fucking bastard," I yelled, rushing at him.

There was a blinding burst of sparkles before I collided with Shun, which left me sightless. By the time my eyes adjusted, he was long gone. My fists balled up tightly as I glared at the carpeted floor, which I was laying flat on my stomach since I literally had nothing to stop my momentum. The room returned to its normal colors, the blue tint wearing off. The air regained its lightness, and I stood back up, dusting my cloths.

I had been cheated and lied to, and there was no choices left for me. I would be made to fight one way or another. Why did life suck so much?


	50. Vampirism 101

_**For you new readers, just remember that Shika is Veronica. Just didn't want to have anyone getting confused. ^-^ For you veteran readers, can you guess who'll Shika go as?**_

 _ **Onwards~**_

 **Light/Shika:**

"Did we have to meet at the park so late?" Light asked, glancing around them cautiously.

"Yes," Shika replied.

"Why?"

"I thought you were smart," she chided. "One, there's less people to witness my vampire activities. Two, the sun irritates my eyes. Three, it's quiet, which will help me concentrate."

The student pursed his lips, not caring for her flippant attitude. They were out because she had offered him to make him into vampire, but Light wanted her to prove she could do all the things she told him vampires could do. If all was true, then it was a far better deal than Ryuk's Shinigami Eye exchange. He'd be immortal, so Kira never had to die. The world would never be plunged back into its awful ways again.

"Welcome to Vampire Class 101. What would you like to see first?" she offered.

"How about the basics?"

"Alright. Watch closely."

Veronica took a few steps back, watching her step to make sure no branches or roots tripped her. After making sure she was far enough away from her onlooker, she took a deep breath in. Letting it out slowly, she jumped up higher than any human could. Grabbing on to a thick tree limb, she easily snapped it in her grasp, falling back to the Earth. With a triumphant smile, she handed it to Light, who took it to examine the break.

"This would've taken a sharp axe or saw for a person to cut off, but you broke it with no problem."

"Yup. So, there's the super-human strength. On to the next one."

Closing her eyes, Shika strained her ears to listen to the night sounds. Turning her head a little each direction, she opened her eyelids.

"There's an owl out eating a mouse," she pointed out the area for Light to see. "And a squirrel trying to hide from said creature up in that tree. A dog is barking about a half-block away, and a cat yowling for its owner to let it back into the house a quarter mile to the east."

"How do I know they're really there, and that you aren't just saying random animals?"

"Listen," she said, annoyance showing.

Sighing, he did as instructed, doing his best to hear what she described. Barely audible, he heard soft barking. The owl and cat were out of the question, and he couldn't exactly hear a quiet squirrel, but he was slated some.

"May I continue?" she questioned sarcastically.

Not waiting for his answer, she began to change. Her medium length, blue hair shortened and turned black. Chocolate irises darkened like two pools of tar. Her straight shoulders hunched and broadened while her height grew. Now, instead of a hoodie and denim pants, she wore baggy jeans and a white, long-sleeved t-shirt two sizes too big. L stared at him, scratching his leg with his bare feet.

"I am L."

Blinking, it was obvious that Light hadn't been expecting to be face-to-face with the detective so suddenly. He couldn't speak, unsure what the hell just happened. Was he?.. Did she?.. How in the world?.. L's blank expression gave a rare smile. If he started laughing, Light would've lost his mind.

"What's the matter, Light?"

After a few more confused seconds, Shika changed back to her regular body. Laughing at his befuddlement, she shook her head.

"Oh, man. I'd pay money to see that reaction again. That just made my day." She took a calming breath. "Anyways, that's called 'shape shifting.' You know, turning into other creatures or people. Pretty convincing, huh? Nobody can tell the difference unless the other person's standing right there. Even then, it'd be hard to discover the imposter if I know the other person's personality."

"Wow," he awed, impressed at this skill. "So you can be anyone?"

"Duh."

"Is that how you plan on breaking the imposter Kira out, turning into L?"

"Or Watari."

"You'll be able to get in and out of the cell without a problem, so long as the person you're going as doesn't show up while you're there. Does L know you can change like that? That would make things difficult."

"Nope. I keep a few surprises to myself in case I need to use any of them around the others. That way, L can't issue passwords to the Task Force so they can enter certain areas and all."

What Veronica didn't say was that even if L did, she'd have a mole on the inside who would tell her what his password would be. It was great being one step ahead of others. It felt good. No wonder the two rivals enjoyed outsmarting one another. She could get used to that feeling.

"That's pretty insightful," he admitted, only slightly grudgingly. At least she wasn't as dull as he originally thought. "When do you plan on going through with the plan?"

"In about a week."

"Why are you waiting so long?"

"Well, I have other things to do. There's something I gotta do before diving back into the Kira case. Some punk's trying to catch me, so I have to deal with him. If he popped up while I'm at the hotel with L, then there'd be problems with the Task Force questioning why I'm being hunted."

"But they think you're L's relative. It's believable to say he's after you to get to him. And why's he such a threat? You're a vampire, and he's a human. He is human, right?"

"Most definitely."

"Does that make him a vampire hunter?" Ryuk asked out of the blue. The God of Death had been so quiet, that the pair had nearly forgotten he was there.

"Uhm, yeah, I guess."

"Moving on," Light cut in.

"Right, right. Well, I was actually thinking about heading home. Neches will be suspicious if I'm gone too long. I told him I was out on a midnight walk."

"I think that's enough for tonight. I better get some sleep. I do have school tomorrow."

"To be continued," she bowed. "We'll meet again Friday night. Same time; same place."

"Sure thing."

"See yah around, Light," called Shika, jogging towards the direction leading further into the city and giving him a final wave. Her eyes caught the reflection of the moonlight, making them seem malicious for a flash. But, just as quickly as he spotted it, the look disappeared as she turned away from his view. Her hair bounced and swayed in her wake.

Later into the night and early into the next day, however, Light Yagami stayed awake in bed. He stared at the ceiling, thinking about what he'd do with his eternity. Having to drink blood was hardly a consequence, especially since he wouldn't have to kill anyone. Shape shifting, strength, speed; these were what awaited him in life, while all that remained left for Ryuzaki was his inevitable demise. Kira would win in the fight against L, and all anyone would do is hold their breath as he takes his final inhalation. The spark of life would fade in his eyes, leaving them colder than their usual depths, his pale skin would turn paler than Shika's, and his pulse would take its final beat, stopping irregularly. His enemy would lay motionless, knowing all too late that Light was his opponent and no one else. Then he'd die, body stiffening as rigamortis set in. They'd put him into the ground in a wooden coffin, and fill the hole with moist dirt. It would all be over in a fortnight.

All Light had to do now was wait patiently as his plan carried out.

"Game set and match, L," he murmured into the night, dissolving into quiet laughter.


	51. Just Warming Up

_**Onwards, chicas & chicos. –I'm taking Spanish class this year. :P –**_

 _ **Carry on.**_

 **Shika:**

"Matt, what do you have for me?"

The young redhead took a lollipop stick out of his mouth. Since he had already eaten the candy off it, it looked like he was smoking an unlit cigarette. It reminded me that he smoked in the future. A sense of justification swept over me. What I was doing was giving them all a chance to out-live their pre-determined fate at the hands of the Kiras.

Why did that sound a lot like Light?

"I intercepted the security feed you wanted me to find. How'd you know L was holding this girl captive?"

"Friends," was all I told him. "What else?"

"The tracker went live Thursday. It's transmitting from the same address as the cameras, just like you said."

"How many of the monitors were you able to commandeer?"

"All the ones showing the cells and the hallways leading towards them, some scattered around the perimeters lower to the ground but none above, a few of the upper rooms, and some in the lobby and elevators. If I tried to get more, I'll probably set off an alarm or something. As it is, I went through more firewalls and data sentries than I could keep track of."

I nodded my head to show I understood his position. "That's perfect. Near, where are we with the recordings?"

"I have done 87% of the uploading, and am awaiting Matt to assist the digital scrambling of the voices and editing."

"Great! At this rate, we'll be ready for the next step. I gotta go again. Tell Neches not to forget to make brain food so you don't go hungry. I know it's late, but keep working, kay?"

Matt waved a hand, eyes glued to the laptop screen. Near simply nodded his head, taking a mic with him to a quiet place to record more voices from the TV so that if L caught one of the messages, he wouldn't be able to descramble them and put them with any of us. You can thank Neches for that contingency.

"Just get into bed by 3 so you can function tomorrow."

I failed to see the skeptic look in the almost-albino kid's eyes as I left the suite.

* * *

The trip to the park was uneventful. No problems arose, no texts told me there was a fight or that we were caught. Everything was sailing smoothly for the time being. Had my bad luck finally wore off? I hoped that was the case.

Light was already waiting for me on a bench sitting under a large cherry blossom tree. He turned to face me, and watched as I approached.

"What do you want to demonstrate tonight?" he asked lightheartedly.

The tone he used was like that of a teacher asking a young student what they brought to show-and-tell with them. If he wasn't crazy, I'd say he'd make a perfect school employee. These days, he'd most likely be that hermit janitor who stops kids in the hallways to go on and on about his opinions on how corrupt society was and how he missed _'them good ol' days.'_

"I was thinking about this."

I held up my hand, making a small, open flame rest in my palm. The warmth radiated from the fire, which licked my skin but never burned. He was fascinated at this example of true power. He wanted it, craved it. The hunger was there in his eyes. That was why he was Kira; to hold power over others whether he wanted to admit it to himself or not.

"I thought myths said vampires were scared of fire because it can kill them."

"Yeah? Tell them to talk to the hand," I joked.

Light didn't laugh with me, but Ryuk cackled. I can always count on him to enjoy my lame puns.

I closed my hand, extinguishing it. "What else do I need to prove? You've already seen how fast I heal. Oh, right."

Looking around for people out of habit, I readied myself to run. Staring at the ground ahead of me, I took off as fast as a bullet. Running around the worn path joggers made each time they exercised, I made quick turns without slowing down. The wind whipped my hair around, occasionally hitting me in the face. In less than three minutes, I had run the entire park trail, and now began zooming towards the two figures of a God of Death and a human. Stopping myself from being thrown forwards as my feet skidded to a halt, I breathed out a heavy sigh to get myself more oxygen.

"How was that?" I asked cheekily.

"Fast," he deadpanned.

"You're no fun," I pouted, crossing my arms.

Rolling my eyes, I walked up to a big tree so I didn't break it. Popping my neck, I shook my arms a little to loosen up. Taking about three steps, I pushed off the ground and placed one foot on the base of the trunk. I took a few more bounds upwards, then grabbed a hold of a high branch. Pulling my entire body deeper in the tree's inner braches, I stood up on one hand with my feet above my head in a handstand. I looked down at him, then threw my legs out to swing full-circle around the limb I was perched on. Landing with a dull thud, I smiled, holding my arms at my sides like a cheerleader who just finished a round-off.

"Ta-dah! The agility I promised."

"Is there more?"

"Not that I could _show_ you unless I turned you right here and right now."

"Let's hold off on that for now."

"Are you impressed yet?"

"Intrigued is more like it."

"So, what's your verdict? Yay or nay?"

"Hm.. Get the Kira impersonator out of her cell, then we'll talk."

"I was thinking," I said slowly. "Why would you want to meet her for? If you two see each other, then L can say you have a connection; therefore, he can pin the title of Prime Kira Suspect on you. _But_ if you didn't, if she never knows you're the real Kira, then L won't be able to prove his suspicions of you to the Task Force. I could get her Death Note and give it to you."

"..No, don't take her notebook. I want her to continue to have the Shinigami Eyes for my benefit, but you make a good point. If she believes someone else is Kira, she wouldn't be able to point me out should he break her. Just don't get yourself caught. How else am I going to defeat L? You are my trump card, after all."

I faked pride in his comment, doing my best to seem thrilled he agreed with my idea. If he only knew who I _really_ sided with.

"Tell me when you pull off the jailbreak."

"Of course."


	52. A Near Miss

_**Onwards**_

 **Shika:**

Arriving back at the hotel, I plopped down on the couch. It was 4 in the morning, and I hadn't slept a wink the past week. I was stressing about getting Misa out of L's makeshift prison, earning Light's trust, keeping secrets from Matt and Near, wondering how Blake was doing in his new role, along with Mello, and the whole 'tournament' thing that was looming over me everywhere I went.

A headache was starting to buzz behind my closed eyelids. I didn't have the energy to get up and go to my room, so I planned to sleep right where I landed. Getting comfortable was also out of the question. That meant moving, and I didn't want to.

"Where is it that you keep disappearing off to?" a monotone voice asked, startling me half out of my wits.

Groaning, I lifted my head and saw Near standing next to the Lay-Z-Boy chair across the living room. He wore his white, long-sleeved shirt and pants like in the manga and anime, and his hair was tousled around like his mentor's.

"What? Oh, just meeting with someone. Nothing too exciting."

Picking up a silver laptop, he opened it up. He turned it to where I could see. On the screen was L sitting in a chair while the Task Force were standing around the door. It was paused, and the numbers in the corner put up the date: Saturday at 2:15 AM, today. Pressing down on one of the keys, he played the clip.

 _All the police members were leaving, calling it a day and began their trip to their own respective houses. As the youngest member was about to exit, he stopped, back to the security camera._

" _May I help you with something, Mr. Matsui?" L asked._

"… _.Uh, y-yeah."_

 _He began to fidget, turning around to face the detective. The room remained quiet as he tried to think of a way to word what he wanted to say so that he didn't sound like an idiot again. It took several silent minutes before Ryuzaki grew wary of waiting._

" _Is this about Shika?"_

 _Shock showed on his face, an embarrassed blush forming on his cheeks._

" _How did you know?"_

" _You once approached the two of us before, but became frightened when she raised her voice and left. It was only a matter of time until you would come to me while she was not present to continue forth with your question."_

" _Oh.. Well, I- uh, er.." He took a deep breath, ready to be scolded. "What is Shika?"_

 _L's mouth tugged into a microscopic smile, but his face wasn't towards Matsuda for him to see. He mistook his lack of a response as either confusion or ridicule. Up to the point where the cop was going to leave, he finally talked to him._

" _I had assumed you witnessed her iris pigmentation change as she attempted to physically harm you." He paused to nibble on a pastry roll with powdered sugar on it. "What is it that_ you _think she is?"_

 _Gulping, the man struggled to put his thoughts into words._

" _She.. She's a monster?"_

" _Using the term 'monster' is very broad, and, therefore, unclear as to your meaning. Please try to refrain from utilizing such words for a better definition to enhance understanding between the two of us."_

" _W-well, I don't.. Um, she's a va.. vampire?"_

" _Precisely."_

Near stopped the feed there. His expression was one of blank distrust, if that even existed.

"Did Matt see this?" I asked with a little too much defensiveness in my tone.

"He did."

Sighing, I ran a hand through my tangled hair. I hadn't expected Matsuda to know about me. I had assumed he hadn't seen my eyes that day, but in all honesty, I should have.

"Why isn't he here, then?"

"He proceeded to bed at 3 as per your curfew."

"…" I definitely didn't expect a kid to sleep while knowing he's in the same place as a vampire. Why not just hang a sign outside declaring your death wish?

"Is Neches a vampire as well?"

"..You're both going to believe I'm a vampire just because L told Matsui I was one?"

"L would not lie about such events. I have also had my suspicions as you do not consume food, have an almost sickly complexion, and only go outside after the sun has almost completed its decent. I did not go so far as to think you were an unexplained creature, but considered options such as you aiding Kira in his quest to assassinate L."

Nodding, I tapped a finger against my lips. "That makes sense. No, he's not. Now what are you two going to do?"

"Now that I am aware you have truly worked alongside L, I will do nothing. You are no threat to anyone's health. If you were, Matt and I would already be cultivated for your consumption. Neches appears trustworthy, albeit somewhat depressed."

I let out a sigh in relief, resting my forehead on the arm of the couch. My heart had been hammering in my chest, but it now subsided.

"Alright."

"Where is it that you go?"

"What?" I looked back up at him.

"When you leave for hours on end, where do you go?"

"It depends. Most days, I go out for a late night run because I feel wide awake. I lay in bed the entire day, so I'm not really anywhere at that time, but I can't sleep either. On the rare occasion, I chat with anyone in the park at night. I'm not very social, so it doesn't last long."

In his eyes, I saw Near accept my summary, which was true for the most part. If you want to be good at lying, tell the truth. Nothing works better than that.

"Now get some sleep. Tomorrow's a big day, and I need the two of you to help me with something. I'll tell you on the way there, okay?" That last part was because he got that look that said he was about to ask where we were going.

Taking a moment, he turned and walked towards his room. Yawning, I stretched and nuzzled into the cushions and closed my eyes.

"Let sleep find me, too.."


	53. Breaking Bad

_**Onwards and enjoy.**_

 **Neches:**

I was in a fast food bathroom in the biggest stall with Matt sitting beside me on the tiled floor. He was working three laptops at the same time while I had my cell phone out to text Veronica and Near. The reason we weren't back at the hotel was in case our signal became compromised, that way, it didn't lead them back to where we were staying.

 ** _Send the directions_** , our leader messaged me.

 ** _Coming_** , I typed back.

"Matt, pull up the halls like we talked about."

"On it."

As my mini me arranged the screens to display the route to Misa's cell block. I snapped pictures of the turns she'd have to take, and then told him to move on to the next set. Once I got that done, I sent them to Veronica via text messaging in the correct order. She wouldn't need to talk over a walkie-talkie, phone, or headset of any kind.

"You got this," I muttered to myself, peering over Matt's shoulder to watch.

 **Shika:**

Near sat in the back of our van that I 'borrowed' from a parking lot quite a ways away. I hotwired it after running alone through a few other towns, then drove it back to an alley out of view of any street or store cameras. I swapped the license plate out with another car's, too. Plus, I took navy blue paint to cover the white coat underneath. That would have bought us some extra time.

I was wearing freshly liberated leather gloves for myself so I wouldn't leave fingerprints behind, even though my prints aren't in any systems to trace. Turning into someone else was an option, but I wanted to save my energy for the long run. My phone suddenly chimed out several times in a row. That had to be the pictures I needed.

Taking my phone out, I swiped the touch screen, typed in my password, then opened up my inside. Sure enough, I saw row upon row of white walls and bleached floors, some containing metal doors. The final one showed Misa tied up and restrained with leather buckles and straps. A metal blinder was wrapped around her eyes to obscure her sight.

"Do you have it ready?" I asked my companion.

"The recorder is operational."

"Awesome. Guess that means I'm up next. Tell Matt to switch the feeds now, and to text me _immediately_ if something goes wrong, no matter how small or insignificant the problem may seem. If the video so much as quivers, I need to be informed or we all could be in serious trouble."

He nodded.

Taking a steady breath, I prepared myself for the heist of the century, concentrating on an image of a man I'd only seen through internet drawings. He had side-swept, black hair, slightly pale skin, and wore a white shirt and baggy pants. He walked with a slight hunch and had black-rimmed eyes. I felt the changes. You'd think having you bones grow would result in growing pains, but the process didn't so much as feel uncomfortable.

Finished, I got the urge to eat strawberry jam, but instead reached for a pair of black color contacts, then I looked at Near. The kid's eyes widened in an unusual display of emotion. He was shocked, to say the least.

"Wait here," I instructed, voice a few octaves lower.

Opening the driver's side door, my bare feel touched the grimy ground, but I walked on, pretending not to take notice. I shoved my hands into my pockets, and hunched forwards. The directions sent to me were all written out on paper so my phone wasn't spotted by the detective who already knew what it looked like.

If my information was accurate –and it was- then there should have been a hidden door somewhere along the western most wall. Taking my time, I gazed at the spot where it should have been. My eyes located a seam where two corners met one another. I nudged it open and stepped inside. Looking like I knew where I was going, I took out the paper and followed it to the T. It didn't take me long to reach the stairs leading down under the building. Once I was below, I stared at my directions closely to seem more clueless as my disguise should have been. I passed by all the security cameras unfazed. Matt was streaming footage we took over the past week, only changing the time and date. That would have to be enough until I actually untie Misa and drag her outside. Hopefully Watari wasn't there taking care of her. He had a schedule, but he sometimes varied depending on the needs of L and the Task Force.

Coming to a fork in the hallway, I glanced down both paths. I should have taken a right, then two lefts to get to the Second Kira, but something told me to go left instead. Sticking to the sheet, however, I went right.

The plain walls gave way to more than a dozen solid doors without any windows. Perking up, I quickened my pace slightly. She'd be at the end of the hall after the next junction. I got to the back, and matched my map to the area surrounding me. Yup, that was it. I reached to touch the handle, but flinched when a jolt of electricity zapped my fingers. Pulling away, I cradled my arm and looked at the door in confusion. Watari never got shocked going into her room, and no one ever shut off a switch or anything to let him in. As I was thinking about yanking the damn thing open, my weak human hearing caught an alarm coming from the upper floors.

"Shit," I whispered, bolting down the halls. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!"

I came to a stop at the fork again, and debated if I should take a risk and check for her down there. I was running out of time. It took a rough ten to fifteen minutes to get from L's floor to where I was, and it took almost ten for me to maneuver my way back outside. That left no margin for error.

"Fuck it."

I turned to the left, now flat-out running. Seeing only one door on this side, I grabbed the handle and pulled it open with all my might. It shocked the crap out of me, but I quickly recovered at the sight of the blonde model. Her head snapped in my direction.

Without saying a word, I cut through her bonds with a pocket knife I pick-pocketed from a guy on the way to the parking lot where I got the car from. As they loosened, I heard her whimper a little. I left the blinder on her so she couldn't see me. Throwing her over my shoulder, I rushed back towards the stairs. As I skidded to a stop, there was an elevator that beeped, signaling that someone was heading my way. I would never reach the surface in time if I went that way. God, why hadn't I asked for a secondary escape route?

Trying to imagine what L would do in my situation, I panicked quietly. I could push past whoever was in the metal contraption and go up, but then there could be others waiting up there in case I decided to go that way. What if I ran up the stairs as a vampire? No, that would only cause them to see me. The whole point of going in a guise was to not have L search for me to get Misa back for the time being.

While I desperately thought, a person turned the corner, going as slow as I had when I first started out. Their shoes made no noise, so it wasn't any of the officers in their thundering boots and sneakers.

Onyx eyes met fake coal orbs. The confusion was temporary, but we both locked gazes. L was looking at me, not knowing it was really _me_. His mouth moved like he wanted to talk, but how do you address your double?

Getting an idea, I removed the color contacts and dropped them haphazardly to the floor. Now, black irises met red ones, and with the burn scars on my face, he put two and two together.

".. Beyond Birthday?" he asked, tone full of confusion.

BB had died not long after Kira began killing, just another murderer taken down by a heart attack. Grinning like the psychotic genius he was, I readjusted Misa on my shoulder.

"L. This is one mystery you'll never crack."

Laughing similar to Ryuk, I brushed past him and got into the elevator. He didn't react, still wondering if he was delusional or not. I pressed the button for the 2nd floor, not going to the 1st. I was almost certain he would have blocked that exit, but what about the windows?

This time, I was in a hurry, but didn't want to run anymore. I was getting fatigued, and I needed to keep my form up. When I got to the room with large bay windows, I broke it with my elbow, and ignored the cuts it gave me. Misa made muffled noises of protest.

"Oh, hush," I snapped. "It's not like I'm going to just _drop_ you."

Knocking out the remaining glass fragments in the frame, I sat on the sill, legs dangling out over the open air, my hands the only things keeping me from falling forwards. Humming a quiet tune, I looked down to see what was below me. I was on the back of the building, which meant the van was parked to my right. If I missed by half a fraction, I'd die along with Misa. If I didn't jump out, then Near, Misa, and I would get caught. There was only one option left.

"Try to hold your breath," I said to Misa, letting go.

The wind whipped her hair around, smacking me like tiny attack snakes. She screamed, which was muffled and hardly audible because of the roar of air rushing past my ears. I pinched my nose, waiting to take a deep breath.


	54. Bad Brakes

_**I'm sorry it took so long to get up. My entire high school is having tests this week, so I've been in the gym most of the time because our lab teacher's also a coach for the basketball team.**_

 _ **Also, I'm SO happy! My friend got me a chibi L doll, and it's inspired more chapters out of me in one day than I've written over the past week.**_

 _ **Enjoy~**_

 **Neches:**

"What the hell is that noise?" I asked frantically.

A wailing sound came out over all three of the laptops, and Matt was typing as fast as his fingers could go, switching keyboards every few seconds.

"She must have set off an alarm trying to get into that room!"

"Why was she trying to get into that one, then?!"

"It was the one Misa was being held in!"

"Well, she wasn't!"

We were both yelling now. Honestly, there could have been someone else in there with us, but we didn't think to get up and check. It was a good thing they weren't. Explaining what we were doing in a stall together with an alarm going off wouldn't be easy, plus, Veronica would have killed us.

"Can't you make it stop?!"

"Maybe," he said, eyes wide as he looked up at me.

I realized he was hoping I had the answers to all this, since he was still so young. That meant I had to calm down and stay rational. Both of us freaking out wouldn't solve anything. Taking a moment to gather up my frazzled nerves, I looked straight at him, hands resting on his shoulders for emotional support.

"I know you can turn off the alarm. You're great with tech, and you've had over a week to study L's systems. You must have seen something that explains all this confusion."

Slowly, his fear subsided as he adopted a determined persona. He nodded once then got to typing. After some time, the sirens stopped. The perimeter cameras didn't show any police cars on their way, but there were a handful in the building already.

"Alright. Now, can you show what's going on inside?"

"I can try," he said, confidence substantially higher than earlier.

He went to work, so I pulled out my phone. Veronica hadn't sent me any texts, so she was still in there.

"I have it."

We watched the screens, and saw L running through the hallways, but something was wrong with the way he looked. As he ran, he was passing in and out of different frames, and only sometimes did it show the side of his face, which looked like it had suffered serious burns in the past. It had been some time since I had last talked to L, but wounds like that would have taken _years_ to heal over. They were too old to make sense of.

"Is that L?" Matt gasped, also seeing the marks.

"..I don't know."

"What's-?"

My phone chimed. Startled slightly, I jumped. Quickly, I fumbled to turn the thing on, hoping it was from Veronica, but it turned out to be Near.

 _ **What is going on?**_ he had typed.

 _ **Shika set off an alarm.**_ I responded.

 _ **How?**_

 _ **She opened the wrong door.**_

 _ **Where is she?**_

 _ **..We don't see her yet, but Misa is**_ -

I didn't send out that last text, opting to watch as L threw open Misa's cell door, and then began sawing off the restraints. Why hadn't he just unlocked them all with a key? They had to have had a key.

Matt hit my arm repeatedly, pointing to the screens, mouth hanging open.

Taking a glance at what had him so worked up, my heart stopped. L was riding the elevator, headed down to the cell barracks. He had no scar or evidence that suggested a recent injury. The L look-a-like was running with the blonde thrown over his shoulder, looking quite panicked. This made no sense! But.. There was something telling me that the man rushing to leave was Veronica. It had to be. Who else wanted Misa out of prison?

"Can you contact that man?" I pointed the burnt one out.

"Give me a s-"

Our screens winked out, cutting to white and black static. The last one to go out had a calligraphy L on the monitor. We had been found.

"Shit!"

I pulled Matt to his feet, shutting the three laptops before taking out a small sledge hammer to break them into pieces. I was going to dump their remains close by, but first, we had to wipe the entire bathroom down to ensure our finger prints didn't end up being found. I went so far as to wipe off the bathroom door itself, using another wet wipe on the handle. When we touched the glass doors to leave, Matt decided it would have been best that we clean that too. People looked at us like we were weirdos.

"He's OCD, and I'm a germaphobe," he explained to the onlookers before we left.

* * *

"Are you sure they're coming," the redhead asked nervously.

"They'll come. Shika's too resourceful to get caught, just wait."

I stood inside the tree line at a local park, watching for a navy blue van to pull up onto the gravel parking area.

"We've been here for over an hour."

"It's a long dive," I defended.

"Neches.."

Zoning out, I ignored his lengthy argument. Nothing he said could have convinced me to leave them behind. The police could have been searching for us right there, and I sill would've stayed put. If he wanted to go, he'd have to go without me. You would have had to have taken me kicking and screaming first.

As he was wrapping up, something caught my eyes. The van I had predicted was certainly coming, but it seemed like a novice was behind the wheel. It swerved and braked sporadically and sped up in jerky pulls. Veronica knew how to drive –she learned from Iggy- so I had no clue as to what was going on. Matt and I exchanged glances before we started calling it to us.

The driver must have seen us because it skidded to a halt before heading our way. I suddenly noticed how fast it was going, and the car showed no sign to suggest it was going to slow down; in fact, it was getting faster. Grabbing Matt, I jumped. We rolled safely to the side, and the van rammed into a thick cluster of trees. The sound of metal being scratched against rough bark was enough to make my ears bleed. Smoke curled up from the hood due to the heavy impact. A figure threw open the driver's door and fell out of the wreck.

"Near?" I yelled, rushing to his side.

With Mini Me close behind, I helped him up. Other than a few scrapes and bruises, he wasn't harmed.

"What happened?"

"Long story," Veronica said, pushing her own door out. "I'll tell you later."


	55. Doubtful

_**Do you guys want a love interest somewhere? My sister told me it would make this better, but I'm not sure if it would really do that. If you have an opinion, let me know. If not, that's fine. I just want to check with you guys first.**_

 _ **Anyways, onwards.**_

 **Shika:**

I sat on the couch in the living room sipping some hot chocolate while my body warmed back up. Being a vampire, I wasn't naturally warm to begin with. Misa and I were soaked to the bone, so I changed into fresh clothes and took the liberty of dressing the model since I was the only other girl around. She had knocked out as soon as I came up to the van so she wouldn't see Near.

The almost-albino was getting attended to by Neches, and Matt brought me a blanket.

"Shika, what happened back there?" my former drudge persisted. "We only watched up until you got Misa out because we got compromised."

"..I'll ask later, but anyways, right before I reached the stairs, L turned the corner and saw Misa and I. We both just looked at each other, until I took my contacts out to reveal my red orbs underneath –and, no, not my vampire eyes. I was Beyond Birthday." The two kids glanced at one another. He used to live at Wammy's House before he went crazy and started to kill people. "He was so surprised that he couldn't say anything. Taking the opportunity, I pushed past him and rode the elevator to the second floor. Once I found windows, I knocked one out and jumped. We landed in the pool, where I broke my leg. From there, I hobbled along with Misa still over my shoulder to where Near was waiting, then he drove us to our rondevu point."

"So that's why you let him drive?"

"Yeah, but I need to eat. Do you mind?"

He rolled his eyes in a friendly manner. "It's fine. It'll help you heal faster."

As I drank, Matt looked mildly disgusted while his smaller companion stared. He looked almost exactly like Ryuzaki had after he had confirmation that I was a vampire.

"Where's Misa?"

"Oh," I wiped my mouth. "I put her somewhere tied up and gagged so she couldn't go anywhere. She won't be a problem for the time being. Once I've recovered –maybe a couple of hours from now- I'll deal with her."

"If she is, indeed, the Second Kira, why did you remove her from L's custody?"

"Look, Near, I want what's best for as many people as possible, but sometimes, you have to compromise you ideas with reality. Misa Amane is undoubtedly Kira 2, and she should still be in his prison, but if I let her stay there, a lot of people would die."

"You are just gambling," he stated. "You see her as a puzzle piece, and wish to put her in her proper place, and you understand that if she is not fashioned to go there, then the consequences will be far worse than a few wasted minutes. In the game of Life, you only have one opportunity to get it right."

I nodded. I knew all too well what would happen if I screwed up.

 **L:**

Ryuzaki read feverishly over the files Watari sent to his computer. They were everything related to Beyond Birthday from his stay at Wammy's to the L.A. BB Murder case and his death. His picture looked completely different compared to when he was using make-up to mimic L's face. The C.O.D. was, of course, a heart attack. He supposedly died within the first few months that Kira began killing. He had been in an institution for the criminally insane. The odd thing was how little he knew about his death. There was no time of death, or a doctor's signature on his certificate. His information also hadn't specified what happened to his body. He could have been cremated or been buried in a cemetery. For all anyone knew, they never even bothered to dispose of the corpse. Dead men don't just rise from their graves.

' _Unless he was a vampire,"_ he thought. _'Or a spell was used to resurrect him.'_

The news that things such as ghost stories were sometimes real had crept into his mind haunted his rational thinking. What was 'real'? All of his cases had been so solid, so sound. Nothing had made him question the boundaries of fiction before until the Kira investigation.

Could Kira be some kind of legend come to life? Was that why a vampire and a witch were helping to stop him, to keep their existence a secret? Did he bring BB back to free the Second Kira so he'd have help? How would he know where to find her? Why hadn't he killed L when he had the chance?

He could still be alive. The lack of details was very infuriating to L.  
Without proper verification, Beyond was lost to the wind. A dangerous, delusional man like that alive and not locked away was upsetting, for lack of a batter word. Faking his death sounded like a stunt BB would pull, especially because Kira aimed solely on criminals.

Something was going on, and he wouldn't rest until he found out what was taking place.

A thought occurred to Ryuzaki. Light knew they captured Misa Amane. He knew where the hotel was, and the pool. Most importantly, he hadn't been there at the time of the break in. But he wouldn't be so ignorant to these slip-ups. No, this wasn't coordinated by Kira. It was some other person. In all honesty, it was more like the last message the Second Kira sent in: Idiotic yet brilliant, all in all very paradoxical.

Who was this puppeteer, and what does he plan to gain?


	56. Almost Goodbye

_Word_ _ **= recorded voice**_

Word _**= spoken**_

 **Shika:**

" _Misa Amane,"_ the recorded voice said. _"I am Kira."_

Though she was blindfolded, I could see the doubt on her face. Yes, we kept her gagged. If she started talking, we'd never get her to shut up.

" _You aren't convinced. You think this is some trick L is playing to get you to confess. I understand. That's a very wise assumption. Do you remember when we met? I told you I can control anyone's death date, and that I could see Rem, who's standing in this room with us."_

Her posture relaxed, and I could tell she felt some relief.

" _Rem, you can remove her gag."_

The shinigami obliged, taking it off her with care. The model sighed, happy that she was free to speak and breathe better.

"You saved me," she gushed, a small blush creeping over her cheeks. "You must be my knight in shining armor. Don't worry. I didn't tell them about the Death Note or you. Actually, Misa couldn't have since she doesn't know anything about Kira at all. We could talk about ourselves now. We have all the time in the world. Why is Misa still blindfolded?"

" _I have to ensure your complete loyalty, but you will be free to move around soon."_

"B-but Misa would never turn Kira in!"

Her going from first to third person speech was highly annoying.

" _What are you willing to do for me?"_

"I'd die for you," she answered without hesitation.

" _Why?"_

"'Why'? Because Misa loves Kira."

" _You must have a reason for being so obedient."_

"A few years ago," she began, obviously sad to be reliving the event, "my parents were killed. The trials were dragging on, and everyone started to think the man responsible wasn't him, and that he was innocent. Then it finally happened. Kira killed the man for what he did. I only want to repair him for his kindness, for _your_ kindness."

There was a pause to make it seem like I was taking in what she said. I remembered her telling Light about that, and then about killing Shinigami. That was supposed to be way earlier, but I guessed at the time that the timeline was trying to fix itself.

" . . . . I will consider our meeting face-to-face. In the meantime, you will get to stay in this hotel room. Do not go out for any reason. L will be looking for you." I actually said this, not using the recorder this time.

I untied her bonds, leaving only the blindfold on. As she was cut free, she threw her arms around me into a tight hug. She could have squeezed the life out of a bear. Realizing she wasn't about to let go on her own as she was nuzzling into my neck, I literally pried her off of me. Again, her faced flushed like she couldn't help but show her affection.

" _You can take off the blinder when you hear the door shut."_

"Uh, may Misa ask Kira's name?"

" _When you get to see me, you'll know."_

I quickly left, shutting the door to separate the two of us. It was a good thing I was Beyond Birthday, or she would've felt my breasts. That would've been awkward to explain. I wondered if Rem saw my death date or not since BB was technically dead. I could see Misa's date with BB's eyes. Rem wasn't kidding about her having a long lifespan due to the additional years she got from the death of Gelus.

Down the hall was our suite. I wanted us to be able to make sure Misa wasn't found, didn't go wondering, or accidentally bump into Light. It wasn't much better than L, but at least she could eat, sleep, and use the bathroom on her own, plus she had TV, and could relax. Hopefully, she'd listen to 'Kira' and stay put. Originally, I planned to have Neches to take the mantel of Kira, but shape shifting was better. She couldn't identify us for breaking her out.

Entering the suite, I plopped down on the couch, slipping into my actual body. Blake had always made it look simple, but the fact of the matter is that it takes concentration and energy, but it got easier the more I practiced.

"How'd it go?" asked my ex-drudge.

"She bought it."

"Did you use the previously recorded messages?"

"Yes, Near."

"The _entire_ time?" he pressed.

"..Mostly."

Matt shot up, looking at me like I was crazy. "Are you kidding me? She knows how you sound! Th-"

"Shush," I interjected. "It wasn't MY voice. I was Beyond again, that way we have a consistency. If I keep changing into other people, L will likely figure out it has something to do with me. We didn't have the luxury to catch every word from the TV. Besides, she expects Kira to trust her. How does a scrambled voice show that?"

"It was your plan!"

"And there were some bugs, so I revised it."

"You could have at least told u-"

"Matt," quieted Neches, hand resting on his shoulder.

The anger died in his eyes as admiration took its place, visible. The purple-eyed man smiled down at him warmly. Even if it wasn't biological, it was easy to see that they cared for the other like family.

"We only have a little ways to go before this is all over," I announced solemnly. "Only one thing's left for me to do, then we crack down on the Kiras."

Everyone fell into forlorn silence, aware we would soon be parting ways. I hated being the bearer of bad news, but there was no delaying it any longer. As soon as Zeke was bitten, I'd most likely get thrown into the tournament with Neches. Near and Matt would definitely get into trouble with Roger.

It felt odd. I'd never gotten to the point where I grew apprehensive about Jumping before.


	57. Truce or War

_**We should be wrapping up shortly, readers. Thank you guys so much for going through the trouble of taking up your time with so many chapters. This book was never meant to be so long, but ideas kept coming, so I kept writing. I hope you'll like the ending, which I've had planned for quite some time, and want to finish this before the Christmas break so you aren't left on a month-long cliffhanger.**_

 _ **Continue onwards~**_

 **Unknown:**

"I'm still mad that you interference with my pick," growled my sister.

"Oh, please. It helped you, too. Now they can focus on winning instead of the other. In one swift move, I secured a very interesting game this time around."

"Don't get too comfortable where you are. In a matter of days, I'll win."

"Keep reassuring yourself, dear sister. I'll stay right here, above you for yet another 500 years, and everyone knows it."

"Really?" she asked sweetly. "You don't know what you're in for this time, _brother_."

 **Shika:**

"Where am I?"

I looked around, surprised to find my eyes open as I was just asleep. Now my body floated, suspended in black nothingness, which cradled me gently in its embrace, and a light flickered far ahead in the distance. The name of this place popped inside my skull like someone fired a gun in my brain.

Cupviji.

In an instant, my paranoia shattered my dreamy calmness and sent a tension throughout me. I was wide awake and ready to defend myself. The light dance closer. Was I near the Axlum base?

"Veronica~"

Shun. He was the light source coming towards me. His eyes and skin gave off a silver glow like it had when we met in this same dimension. He easily walked on the solid nothing where the ground should have been. I was still furious since the whole _'no free will'_ thing, so I was more than a little apprehensive when he showed up. Was it possible to kill something that's immortal?

"What do you want?"

"Such a hostile greeting," he smiled.

"Shut the hell up and send me back already," I hissed.

"Not until you hear him out."

Behind me, a person cleared his throat. I hadn't smelled Zeke standing there because the dimension blocked out multiple senses. Just the sight of him made my blood boil. If I had been a teapot, I would've whistled. He wore his black hair similar to Shun's, icy blue eyes full of intelligence and cunning added to his coco skin tone. To me, it had the appearance of freshly brewed coffee with vanilla extract poured inside.

"Veronica, I-"

He didn't get to finish, because I landed a blow to his left eye, and hurt my knuckle from the force of the impact. Reeling in pain, he quickly put space between us.

"God! I was going to say sorry! What the hell's wrong with you?!"

"What's wrong with ME? You and your gang of ungrateful bastards tortured me, literally took me apart to watch as I put myself back together again, starved me, drowned me, and took away any kind of peace I could have had to sleep soundly at night, and you ask what's wrong with _me_?! I have every right to kill you, let alone deck you, you little shit!" I turned to the Xucmbij. "And _YOU_. If this is some kind of set-up of any kind, I will kick your ass after i kill him! I don't care if you're fucking immortal. I'll find a damn way!"

Zeke looked around me to see Shun. He raised an eyebrow, seemingly quite skeptical.

"Great plan," he said sarcastically. " 'She'll listen. She won't attack you. A compromise will be perfect'! That's what I get for trusting an Immortal's advice."

He tried walking away.

"Mbul," the creature spoke firmly in Ogojohat, and the Axlum leader suddenly froze. "Byjc."

Zeke slowly turned, eyes ablaze with anger. "I'm not a damn puppet!"

"I beg to differ," I quipped. "You're head's empty, and your mom's mission for power is what's driving you."

He growled like a feral animal, hands balled into fists. Right before he lunged at me, Shun whispered only loud enough for me to hear.

"Zucb." Now, he talked to both of us. "Knock it off, you two. Veronica, cut the sarcasm. Zeke, watch your temper. We have a treaty to discuss, after all."

"Pft, 'treaty', as in a truce?"

"Exactly."

"I think you're forgetting the fact that this asshole has put me through the ringer, and you –you motherfucker- aren't any better. Why the hell would I listen to either of you?"

"Because I don't want to die," Zeke stated simply. "You read and speak Ogojohat, you're a bloody _vampire_ , and you can take away my power with a single bite." Shun seemed rather pleased with his 'work.' "You and your Immortal friend here could kill me in two hundred different ways. _Each_."

Thinking it over, I realized it wasn't an exaggerating.

"The only reason i caught you on the past was because a.) I had Blake on my side, b.) we outnumbered you, c.) we had the element of surprise, and d.) you weren't super-human. Without those advantages, there's no possible way I could even manage to get you by myself. If you were still human, then maybe I could, but you aren't."

"So, you want me to believe you just gave up after all these years? Tell me you aren't buying this, Shun."

"Actually," he said slowly.

"Oh, come on!"

"LISTEN, Veronica. Here Zeke is –the subject of your worst nightmares in the flesh- and he's practically on his knees begging to end it all. You don't have to constantly watch over your shoulder, always on alert and fearing the Axlum will pounce. You and Neches can finish up here with ease. Doesn't that sound nice?"

Eyes narrowed, I looked between the men standing with me in the mostly empty void that was the Xucmbij's home.


	58. Inspired

_**I**_

 **Light:**

"As most of you know," L stated, "the Second Kira was taken this afternoon. Finding Miss Amane will be our top priority, as she is our only connection to understand how the Kiras kill."

"No offense, L," Aizawa said, "but she's only a suspect. We haven't proved she was the one killing people."

"There is enough physical evidence to conclude she sent the tapes recovered from Sakura TV that she was the one who made and sent them in, one of which displayed a keen power to predict the exact time and day that the victims would die. Either she is the Second Kira, or she knows one of them, if not both."

Aizawa pursed his mouth in a disapproving line, but said nothing more.

"The man who kidnapped Miss Amane is a dangerous individual, and is driven with a passion to be better than L, which puts him beyond reasoning. Why he has taken Misa Amane is unknown at present. He could wish to send the original Kira a message, try to solve the investigation before myself, or want to ensure I never succeed in breaking the case. This man will not hesitate to slit your throat should you get in his way. Take a moment to think about if you are willing to proceed to assist me, or if you wish to leave the Task Force."

"..I'm not going anywhere, L," Dad said, standing beside me. "Not as long as my son is still under suspicion. It'll take more than death to scare me. As Chief of Police, I have criminals trying to kill me on a daily basis. Catching Kira is the only thing that matters to me, even if i have to stay awake for more than a week without sleep. Quitting now would mean that the FBI agents had died in vain, along with all those who've been murdered by his hand. Who am I if I run with my tail between my legs after all our work?"

Matsuda looked at Dad with a kind of respect that a puppy has for its master. He was dimwitted, which meant he was likely to try and agree with him without thinking beforehand, so I cut in before him.

"Like Dad said: I'm still a Kira suspect. I couldn't leave if I wanted to, could I, L?"

"That is correct. Light will have to remain here, Chief Yagami."

Dad didn't seem too happy with that, but he eventually gave a sigh and nodded his head.

"I'm in, too! It's not like I have anyone living and depending on me. Besides, Kira needs to be stopped, and no one's gonna do that better than the Japanese Task Force!"

Dad gave him a pointed look, motioning for him to be quiet, as Aizawa was shaking where he was. It was obvious he was debating about how to handle his situation. He had family, so I've been told, a wife and maybe a child. If he died, they'd take a hard blow financially as well as emotionally. His hands were fists and, he looked at Ryuzaki.

"Are you sure he can't be talked down?"

"I am 98% certain that if we confront him, he will do his best to kill everyone he sees at that time. There is a 1 in sixth chance you will die."

"One in sixth?"

"Aizawa." Dad softened his tone. "Think about your family. How will they get by if you were to die? Do what you think is best, however, no matter what the outcomes may come."

The computer screen in front of L lit up, and a calligraphy W appeared like a screen saver.

"L, did you not that I was to set aside money for the Task Force members' family should any of them pass away, and if they lost their careers?"

"This is hardly the time, Watari."

The man's jaw clenched as he glared hatefully at Ryuzaki. "This was a test, wasn't it? You wanted to know who would back out and who'd stay."

"I-I'm sure Ryuzaki just forgot about it," the younger cop tried his best to pacify his coworker.

"No, it was a test. I wanted to see who was wholly committed to this investigation."

"..I see." His expression eased more. "Then I've made up my mind. I hate L, and the way he holds back information. I hate that he talks to us like we're dumb, and I hate how stubborn he is!" He began to head for the door.

"That's a shame, because I do not hate you."

"And I hate how you always have to have the last word!"

The door was slammed shut, and the room was filled with silence. Awkwardly, Dad cleared his throat to get us back on track.

"Ryuzaki, when should we alert the public to the kidnapper?"

"We will not be issuing anything."

"But we have to warn the public if he's as psychotic as you say!"

"No. Should he be spotted and cornered, he will become unstable. He has a relatively stable mind in the ways of deducting and acting, but only when he feels he has control over a situation. If any person points him out in a crowded, he'd likely try silencing them before they can call the police."

"But won't that just make finding him and Misa harder?"

"Yes, Matsui, but I am sure we will find them just the same."

"Are we putting a hold catching Kira until they're found?"

"Of course not. Feel free to explore outside leads so long as you report back to me if you discover something. As for living situations, I have arranged for Light Yagami to stay in the hotel where I can keep a vigilant eye on his activities, as well as a cover for your family." He had turned to watch my reaction to this. He may have been addressing my dad to the others' perspective, but I knew it was more for me, not them.

"Why would he have to stay here?" Dad questioned.

"If he truly is Kira, and Misa was taken _for_ him, it is only likely to assume he would be meeting her and her captor soon. I cannot allow the possibility of the two Kiras meeting when it is in my power to stop such a thing."

I could tell he liked L less and less the longer he worked with him. Was it possible to get the rest of the Task Force to quit? If Dad left, then the others would be right behind him. This could work..

 **Unknown #2:**

I watched gleefully as L tested his temporary team once more. The one with an afro left in a rage, but he wasn't important. None of them were, except _L_. Yes, he doubted, and I could not ask for a better opportunity like the one happening now. He thought BB was dead, then suddenly changed his mind. Why? Because someone was copying the way he posed as the detective.

"Is he dead, L, or isn't he? No matter what you chose, you lose."

That was Beyond's plan, after all. He had set things up to make everything vague yet detailed. This would make it impossible to be certain about anything related to BB.

Perhaps I should be staying quiet, but how could I not watch this train wreck? L was slipping, as no one had ever escaped him until today. Who was this master of crime, and could I get a few pointers? Sure, I'll kill them to ensure my victory, but he didn't need to know that.

We could have been good partners, but he chose a poor mark. You see, L was already claimed, and no one wanted to step on the person's toes. He was ruthless, and completely mental. That's what made him so good.

"So watch out, imposter. He's not going to be happy with you."

Cackling into the wind, I had my face turned up to the sky. The black clouds blotted out the moon, making for bad visibility, but from this height, one could see it all. The city was humming with life, and I felt it to my bones. Eyes closed, I thought about my plan. Everything was perfect, silent, and unknown. L had a stalker, yet he was unaware of this. That, in itself, was gratifying.


	59. The Return

_**Wow, chapter 60! I feel so accomplished to have gotten so far without switching to yet another fanfic. Those who've followed me for some time know this. Again, sorry but my mind likes to roam a lot.**_

 _ **Anywho, onwards and enjoy, as always.**_

 **Neches:**

"Why are we packing?" I asked Veronica, barging into her room.

Her back was to me as she folded a shirt and set it into her suitcase. The two pre-teens had informed me that Shika had told them only the two of us were going to L, so I knew exactly what was going on, but I wanted to hear it from her.

"We're going back to the Task Force."

"Why? Zeke's still out there, and Ryuzaki said to come back _after_ the Axlum are dealt with."

"..He's not a problem anymore."

That confused me. It was like her words had slapped me silly. "But when? I thought you only bit Amanda that day?"

She cringed, hands tightening on the pants in her clutches. Just saying her name brought out a melancholy to pass over her, which made her clam up.

"I did," she said firmly. "Zeke and I came to an agreement."

"You can't trust him," I barked. "He hasn't given up on you for a little less than _ten years_. What would possibly give you the idea that he'd even abide by your 'agreement'?"

"Well, we compromised. I got to bite him if I left him alone in the dimension he wants. I have to help him Jump, but then we part ways. Even Shun said-"

"Shun? And you _still_ believed them? You know just as well as I that he –of all people- can't be trusted! Don't you remember that he made you release me?"

"And don't you remember that it was _you_ who held Estela's identity from _me_?" she shot back.

I winced. That was a sore topic, not one we ever elaborated on. It made me hurt, but it also made me irritated. That was, again, Shun's fault.

"Whatever. If you're gonna be that way, then get your shit together."

Slamming her bedroom door shut, I ran a hand through my hair. Why did she have such a hard time listening to me? We had an understanding that no one else could have made, but as soon as I was let go, it disappeared like water evaporating in the Texas summer. Was that the only reason we got along, because I was bounded as her drudge? She sure did make it feel that way.

I went to my room inside the suite's large space. I guessed Misa would be staying wherever the hell Veronica had hidden her, and that Near or Matt would take care of her in our absence. Grabbing my only luggage bag, I started neatly packing my things in. There wasn't much, just like V, only the clothes Watari had bought for us. She'd need to eat before we took off, and I had to call L to tell him we're on our way. Sometimes, I felt a little like her receptionist.

 **Blake:**

"Shika Fauxe and Neches are on their way, Ryuzaki," Watari informed L.

"Were the other Axlum dealt with?"

"Yes."

"Then prepare their rooms. Miss Fauxe will get the Twelfth Floor, and Neches will get the one below her."

The butler nodded, and left to attend to them. I stared at L. She was coming? I was having such a good time not following her orders like a robot, now she was heading this way? Well, I was supposed to be Coil, a renowned detective respected by a lot of the population. Could she really still boss me around? Knowing Veronica, that would be a yes.

"Shika's coming back?" Matsui questioned, lighting up a little.

I gave a low growl, glaring daggers at his head. With my arms crossed, I must have scared the twit because he paled some. Giving a soft huff, I proceeded to look out the window like I expected her to pop up immediately. Oh, she was bringing the Immortal's experiment with her. Great.

Wait, she 'dealt' with the Axlum? She got to Amanda and Zeke? Were they dead, or her slaves, like I was? All I could do was sit in my seat, bored out of my mind with paperwork about the deceased criminals from the past two weeks. Mello wasn't allowed to come out when  
Light was around like he was today. When Watari had announced Veronica's return, he had seemed a little.. I didn't really know how to describe the look he had made. If he so much as looked at her, I'd kick his pretty white teeth in.

It wasn't like he was her type, anyways.

 **Shika:**

The limo came to a stop outside a really huge building as shown in Death Note the L had Watari supervise the construction for the Task Force's base. Neches and I got out, both of us awing its massive size. It looked bigger up close.

The three of us rode the elevator to the working floor. As the metal doors opened, I saw just how fancy everything was. The colors weren't obnoxiously bright, but they weren't 'gothic' either. The hallways were wide so I could hardly imagine what the rooms, themselves, would be like. I had to hand it to L, he knew a thing or two about decorating. That, or Watari did. I had been there before, but I wasn't exactly sightseeing then.

The old man led us to a door, and I didn't knock before turning the knob. I stepped inside with my 'caretaker' close behind. Whatever conversation they were having was rudely interrupted by our intrusion.

"If you hadn't noticed, Ide has also left th-"

I saw Soichiro, Light, Matsuda, Mogi, Blake, and L scattered around the area. They all looked our way, unexpecting us to get there so fast. Neches gave a sheepish wave and I ignored their expressions, moving straight for the detective.

"Ryuzaki, I need to speak to Light alone."

The Chief of Police stood up fast, knocking over his chair in the process. "No." He turned to L, hoping he'd agree with him.

"Yes," he said, not acknowledging his protests.

"But-"

Taking the collage student's arm, I dragged him out of the room before the man could argue his point further. I took him to the elevator, punching the button with the number 12. As the doors opened, I pushed him inside as the metal box slowly rose.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere without cameras," I replied.

"There's a place without security monitors?" he asked in slight surprise.

"Of course. What good would they do on me?"

He nodded his head, getting the point. When there was a soft ding, we exited and proceeded to make our way to the first door. Entering the master bedroom, I caught a glimpse of my suit case inside the closet. Watari must have brought it there.

"I have the Second Kira."

"I figured that was you, but why is L convinced a man took her?"

"Remember how I turned into Ryuzaki at the park?"

Understanding flickered in his brown orbs. He seemed to gain more respect for my powers, but I knew it wasn't with me. All I was to him was a pawn, his trump card hidden up his sleeve. He'd kill me after I had fulfilled my purpose as soon as he found out my real name.

"Where is she?"

"Don't worry. She's hidden somewhere that even Neches doesn't know."

"Good. And you're sure L has no idea it was you, or that you were involved?"

"Nope."

"You took every precaution?"

"Yeah."

"You didn't-"

"Light, I GOT IT. There is nothing linking the kidnapping to me or Neches. We used a scrambled voice to speak to her, which we got using TV voices so they couldn't be descrambled them and come out as ours'. I was someone else entirely, vocal cords and all. I stole a van, painted it a different color, and used a license plate from another car, then ditched it in a lake at least halfway to the coast."

Smiling, Light stood there for a little while, satisfied that I went through great lengths to make it seem like someone else took Misa without having to be told step by step instructions.

"I've decided that I'll be turned into a vampire the day after I kill L. Because the Second Kira needs to see a person's face to know their name, you'll.."


	60. On Your Mark

_**Onwards and enjoy.**_

 **L:**

Shika Fauxe and her drudge, Neches, made an early appearance. He could utilize her superior sense of smell to track Beyond down, leading the Task Force and him to the Second Kira wherever he had hidden her.

L wanted to talk to the female vampire as soon as she got back, but she requested an audience with Light Yagami. Since she was supposed to be getting his trust, he allowed her to visit with him alone. It wasn't like she was on Kira's side, so they weren't really scheming. Chief Yagami, out of concern for his son, hadn't wanted them to be without supervision out of fear she'd attack him, but Ryuzaki knew she had more control over her hunger than he gave her credit for.

Only Light came back to join them, and Shika told him to tell everyone else that she'd be unpacking the rest of the night. That frustrated L, but he didn't show it. Instead, he excused himself from the room, and went to Shika's personal floor. If she was unpacking her belongings, then she'd be in either the master bedroom, or the walk-in-closet, which was practically a separate room itself.

Hearing loud rock music blaring from down the hallway as he made it to the 12th floor, it wasn't hard to pinpoint her location. He followed the pulsing rhythm to the fourth door down. It was, indeed, the closet.

As he opened the door, the lyrics pounded in his eardrums harshly, and he could barely make out the words.

' _It's scratching on the walls, in the closet, in the halls_

' _It comes awake and I can't control it._

' _Hiding under the bed, in my body, in my head_

' _Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?'_

Shika was holding up a tank top, the one she wore when she ran an impossibly high fever. She wasn't facing L, but she must have heard him come in over the blasting sound emitting from her phone.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Will you turn the music down?"

His voice was muffled even to his own ears, but her hearing wasn't that of a human's. Complying with L's request, she hit pause and set the device inside her pocket.

"I wish to have a briefing about the Axlum members."

Her posture stiffened, and her tone became guarded and defensive. "What about them?"

"How do you know they are now no longer a reoccurring problem?"

"Well, one's my drudge, one is dead, and the other is off hiding because I now scare the shit out of him."

"..How did the one die?"

She whirled on me, eyes blazing with sudden wrath. "What're you implying? That you think _I_ was the one who killed her, is that it? Just because I'm a vampire, you assume that if anyone dies around me, it's from my own hands?!"

L widened his eyes, something he didn't do often as he hardly feared anything, but this woman, with her anger and strength, she could be deadlier than the two Kiras combined. Getting her fired up was not an experience he'd like to relive ever again. He desperately needed to calm the situation before he became her dinner.

"That was not my intention," he said slowly and clearly. "It was simply an inquiry as to what has taken place in your absence. I meant you no offense."

Slowly, he could see her deflate as she eventually closed her eyes and sighed heavily. She ran a stressed hand through her dyed tresses. Remorse ate away at the glare which had previously taken hold of her expression.

"Sorry, but things have been.. complicated."

"Understandable. It must not be easy to be persecuted like a vigilante by those who seek to obtain limitless power by using those closest to it."

Shika let out a soft grunt in agreement. Something was still bothering the woman. Her eyes kept shifting around, never staying on the detective for long. Was that guilt or sorrow he saw in the corners of her features? It was as if she had on a mask, which was slipping down slightly.

"Ryuzaki," she started, eyes hardening in a serious demeanor. "It's almost time for the end of this game between you and Light Yagami. Here in a few days, Kira plans on killing you, and he thinks after this is done I will turn him into a vampire so that he may rule over the world forever. The time to strike would be now."

This news took L slightly off guard. Not longer than a few hours after returning, and she was already planning her final play to bring the serial killer to his knees. For her to know this information, she must truly have his trust.

"Are the Kiras in contact with one another?"

"No, I made sure that Light never met Misa Amane."

The detective's jaw set, and he stared directly at the creature before him. The way she proclaimed that was in that manner she used was insightful.

"So, I have found the imposter Kira's consultant."

"What?" she questioned in confusion.

"The very last tape Miss Amane sent in was perplexing. It was vague yet well thought out. A few of the mistakes did not add up with the newfound intellect of its creator. It was clear that Kira did not tell his follower to make it. Someone else had to instruct her about what to say, purposely leaving it open to multiple interpretations that the viewers could hold, making it difficult to classify at the time. Now, I believe you were the one to assist her. Do you deny this accusation?"

The concentration on her face was all the proof he needed to know she had done what he claimed. Sensing his certainty, she spread her hands out in a gesture of peace.

"Yes, I told Misa what she should do. I convinced her that I was the original Kira so she'd tell me all I needed to know."

"And what did you discover?"

"She is absolutely the Second Kira."

"What evidence do you have that proves your theory?"

Ryuzaki could hardly contain himself as he was now very close to finding the _real_ murderer. He hadn't a shadow of a doubt that she had fooled Misa as the model wasn't too bright. With the personality her tapes portrayed –excluding the final one- she was very codependent. She would do anything to please the first Kira even at her own expense.

"Do you like to read, L?

 **Matt:**

The newly purchased laptop beeped, indicating I had gotten an email. As I opened up to my mail, I found an unread message.

 **Go to this address: 254 ***** Southeast ***** St. Take the sheep. –M**

I looked at it, confused as to who M was, or how he got my email account, but then a thought resurfaced in the back of my mind.

' _Did Mello agree to have a tracker?'_

' _Mostly.'_

' _What?'_

' _Nothing.'_

A slow smile split my face as I got what was going on. Closing the computer, I got off the couch and stretched. We'd be quick so we wouldn't keep Shika or L waiting. The fun part was almost here.

 **Shika:**

"Is that so?" L asked, eyes alight with such liveliness, something you never saw in the animes or mangas.

"Every word," I nodded.

"Fascinating. Now, on to another topic. You may not be aware, but Misa Amane was kidnapped today, and I have a very clear idea of who it was that took her. His name is Beyond Birthday. Are you familiar with the L.A BB Murder Case?"

"Yeah."

"What do you know about Beyond himself?"

"He was one of the first kids brought to Wammy's, and was to be appointed L's successor, but he ran away one day. Years later, he decided he wanted to prove he was better than L, so he set up a case that would leave him stumped. He killed only those with the same first initial in their first and last names. Left at each scene were Roman numbers marking down one per victim. His final victim was to be himself, killing the murderer so that it would appear he had just stopped killing, but Naomi Misora stopped him from burning to death."

"Correct."

"I thought he died."

"So the public was told, but I have reason to believe he is alive, and that he took Misa. Beyond tried to mock my appearance by wearing make-up to resemble me, dying his hair to match my pigmentation and used color contacts to change his irises as well. The man I saw matched this description save for scarring like that which resulted from severe burns. As he was leaving, he also took the time to taunt me by saying I would never crack the mystery."

"Sounds..unbelievable. Won't a correction facility or whatever keep track of their patient?"

"Yes, this is also what troubles me. There are quite a number of irregularities with his paperwork."

"Okay, so why are you telling me all this?"

"I would like for you to act as the K9 Police Unit for our investigation purposes."

"..So let me get this straight. You want me to sniff out a supposedly dead guy to take us to where this walking corpse is holding the Second Kira just to advance the case?"

"Precisely."

I put my palms together and pressed my index fingers to my lips like I was trying to keep from opening my mouth and telling him how stating it that way made it sound like I was a bitch in its technical meaning: a female dog. Should I have facepalmed him and said _'should of have had a V8'_?


	61. Get Set

_**Enjoy.**_

 **Shika:**

"Misa Amane," I said, knocking on the hotel door.

She must have recognized Beyond Birthday's voice, because the door slammed open so fast that I barely managed to move out of its way. Her arms were wrapped around my neck in a tight hug as she cheered to herself happily.

"Misa's missed you so much! It feels like months since Kira rescued her!"

Pulling myself away from the blonde, I gently pushed her inside the suite so no one overheard her saying Kira. That girl had a set of lungs on her. Rem stood in the corner of the room, silent and foreboding. His/her had threats in its eyes, unspoken but very clear. _'Hurt Misa and you die.'_

"Please, you shouldn't call me Kira out in the open like that."

She blushed, bowing her head deeply. "Misa's sorry."

I took a moment to just stare at the back of her head before awkwardly patting her. "It's okay. There was no harm done."

She perked up, taking a look above my head. Her brows knit together as she blinked a couple of times.

"What an odd name. Oh, but not in a bad way! No, Misa thinks it's very unique."

"You can call me Beyond, BB, or even just B if you like."

Squealing excitedly, the model clapped a lot. "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! BB for _Best Boyfriend_!"

I could have sworn she made my eardrums explode with her mega-fangirling, and any normal person could say the same thing. For once, I was glad I didn't have my sensitive vampire hearing. My ears would've been bleeding. That the universe for the little things.

"Let's not get ahead or ourselves," I said, grabbing her wrists to cease her hyperactive applause.

"But I love you." Her voice quivered as she was on the verge of tears.

"Thank you," I coaxed softly, pushing a strand of hair out of her face, "but we have to stay focused. It's almost time to kill L, and we have to be level-headed. Do you think you can do that for me?"

Sad eyes turned solid, and she nodded.

"After L's dead, will you be Misa's boyfriend?"

"I'll think about it. For now, let's talk about our plan."

"Right!"

"Here's what I want you to do. I'll escort you to your house -so I know you make it there and back safely-, and you'll get your Death Note, then meet me in the living room. We'll come here, and I'll have to leave. When you get a text from me, take your notebook to the location the message will have. Make sure to be at the specified time, not a minute later. Hide up in the catwalk with your back pressed against where two of the walls meet so no one can see you. Don't move until you're sure everyone is there. Write the names of all the people you see, no exceptions other than the one's lifespan you can't see. You'll have taken down the entire Task Force members at once."

"Will this make BB happy?"

"Extremely," I assured, stroking her cheek with the back of my hand.

Misa got a look of bliss at my touch. Her eyelids fluttered, and she had a dreamy smile on her face.

"When will we go to my house?"

"Right now."

 **Mello:**

I snuck into Light Yagami's bedroom in L's building, glad that the Kira suspect was stuck with L and Blake. If he had seen me snooping, he would've killed me. Shika had explained my role in the End Game, and it wasn't as important as I would have liked. Taking a bite of my chocolate bar, I rummaged through the guy's desk.

My hand closed on something rectangular in shape. Pulling the item out, I found it was his wallet. She told me there'd be a piece of paper hidden in it. As I found said paper, I tore off a small corner of it and put that in my back pocket.

Whipping my forehead of cold-sweats, I put the leather pouch back in its place and rushed out of his room. Now all I had to do was give it to Shika.

 **L:**

"Everyone," Blake said loud enough for the others to hear him. "Ryuzaki wants to announce something."

"Thank you, Coil. The entire Task Force is to meet in the Yellow Box, a warehouse. There, I will reveal the true identities of both Kiras One and Two."

"What?!" Matsuda exclaimed. "Y-you know who they are? But how?-"

The detective held up a hand. "I said I would explain once we are gathered there. You must _all_ be present so that we may ambush the two. I have an informant that tells me this is where they arranged to meet. We will intercept them, taking them by surprise. For the police members, bring handcuffs, blindfolds, your tasers, and your guns. I do not need to remind you how dangerous they are."

The room fell quiet as they all processed the news. Determination, fear, and resolve showed in just about everyone present, save for L, Light, and Blake, two of which knew what was going on. Light, however, seemed skeptical. This didn't escape Ryuzaki's eagle eyes, but he didn't mention it.

"We will convene there in two days at exactly 4, and will wait in the structure. There is only one door in and out, so do not fear that either one will escape through a side door. Be prepared for any possibilities. It could mean your life."

 **Light:**

So Ryuzaki has an informant who told him that both Kiras will be there, meeting each other. I wonder who it was. Wait, no I don't.

I told Shika to tell L that Kira was going to meet the imposter at the warehouse, which she suggested as she used it multiple times before to sleep before she joined the Task Force. It was abandoned and remote. There, she would bring Misa Amane so she could see everyone's names, including L. I even had Shika fetch my Death Note so she could give it to me. I'll finish off L myself, then Kira will announce to the world that justice has won.


	62. Go

_**This isn't the last chapter, guys!**_

 **All:**

The fan squeaked loudly as the blades slowly turned in the stuffy warehouse. A few puddles of water dotted the cement floor, and the windows let in dim sunlight. The Task Force –consisting of Soichiro Yagami, Matsuda Touta, Mogi Kanzo, Mihael Keehl (Mello), Blake (Coil), and Veronica Warrin (Shika Fauxe)-, L. Lawliet (Detective L), and Light Yagami (Kira) stood in the main area, waiting. Some checked the time while others focused on their goal: to catch both Kiras.

Guns were pointed at the sole door, targeting the people whom they expected to face. They didn't know that their quarries were already there in the rundown building known as the Yellow Box. The time struck 4pm, and Misa Amane –hidden above all- edged towards the end of the catwalk and began writing names in her Death Note. Light knew this was taking place as Shika and he had set everyone up to be killed.

Once the blonde finished, she took out a burn phone and texted Shika. Her device buzzed, having been set to Vibrate. All eyes turned to her, the only source of noise around them. Taking her mobile out, she casually clicked on her inbox. After reading the message, she looked up at the others.

"You should know that the Kiras are already here; in fact, the Second one has already started the process to kill us all, save for the original Kira."

Shock rippled over the gathered humans.

"You're saying we're all going to die?!" Matsuda yelled in a shaky voice.

"Yes."

The Chief of Police recovered relatively quickly. "We never should have trusted a vampire!"

The three cops aimed their firearms at the girl, ready to shoot her where she stood, each with different levels of anger, confusion, and despair, but she stayed calm. It wasn't like Shika couldn't heal.

In this commotion, Light smirked wickedly. His eyes gazed at the catwalk, spotting Misa as she watched the scene below her. She still didn't know why Beyond had told her not to kill him. He wasn't Kira, but maybe he was their inside source against L?

"How long has it been since you wrote the first name?" the student called up to the model.

Quickly, the Task Force faced skywards, also seeing Misa. Their eyes widened. She had been there all along. This was all a trap, and they fell right into it with open arms.

"Thirty seconds," she replied. "Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three…"

Light smirked, locking eyes with L. He let his mask fall, enjoying the fact he got to show the detective his true nature, that he would lose and Light was responsible for it.

"Looks like I win, L."

"Forty."

They all froze, expecting pain to take hold of their bodies, but that didn't happen. After a moment of cringing, Matsuda slowly straightened back up, watching the others to see if anyone was dying. No one collapsed, holding their chests or clawing at themselves.

"..We're still alive?"

Light's expression changed from amusement to horror in mere seconds. He frantically looked at Misa, and she was just as mystified. Laughter echoed out, loud and jolly despite how the surroundings appeared.

Shika had been the one that had made the outburst, pointing at the pair and clutching her side. Wiping a tear away, she regained her composure, but grinned the entire time.

"I think my plan worked after all, L."

"It seems so," the panda-like man stated flatly, eyeing both criminals.

"..Plan?"

"Yes, Light," she said cheerfully. "A plan. You know what those are; after all, you're the original Kira."

"He's not Kira!" Misa yelled angrily. "I've seen him, and that guy isn't my boyfriend! And why aren't you dead?! I wrote your names in my Death Note!"

Her actions were childish as she furiously moved her hands up and down like a baby bird trying to fly.

"Your boyfriend isn't real," Shika told her bluntly.

"He is so! He got me away from that pervert!" She pointed to L. "He rescued me, and said he was going to kill L, and then he'd be my boyfriend! He's tall and has black hair and black eyes with these scars on his face and his voice is so deep. We're going to get married and make this world a better place!"

"You are describing Beyond Birthday. Is he Kira?"

"Of course he is!"

"But I'M Kira! Shika even brought my Death Note with her so I could kill L myself!" He turned to her, holding his hand out.

This sudden movement made the cops switch their targets. Even his dad was ready to shoot his son. In his eyes, you could see his heart break into thousands of pieces. He had desperately tried to prove his innocence, but was wrong in his judgment.

Shika rolled her eyes, taking out the notebook from within her jacket. She held it in her hands, then passed it to L. Sticking her tongue out at him, she flipped Light off.

"I played you, Light. You actually thought I cared about your 'new world' shit? Why? So you can hunt me down and kill me as soon as you decide vampires shouldn't live, that you should be the last one left? Ha! No, I worked with L from the start. And Misa, BB _is_ dead. The only reason you think he's alive is because I turned into him to talk to you in case you got caught so you wouldn't point me out as Kira. It was all a ploy to ensure you never met Light, the first Kira."

"But that's impossible," she cried out.

"Really?" Shika turned into Beyond. "And what about now? Is this not your 'boyfriend'?"

Her eyes watered slightly as she fell to her knees. There was a dull 'thud' which followed suit. She was done, crushed, and wouldn't fight being taken in by the Task Force. Light was staring at me with a baffled expression.

"You had every opportunity to get enough evidence to turn me in, so why did you wait so long?"

"I wanted them to find the Death Notes. L, why would I do that?"

"..What is that thing back there?"

"That's a Shinigami named Ryuk. A human can only see them only after touching its notebook. Ryuk, say hi to L." She pulled out her phone again. "Matt, Near, go ahead and come in."

She hung up, taking out the tiny scrap of paper Mello had taken from Light's wallet, passing it to everyone else so they could, too, see the raven-like God of Death.

"Misa has one." The two boys came inside, walking up to her and giving her the book. "When you touch hers', there's Rem."

"If you had Misa's Death Note, then what did I write in?"

"Well, it's a fake, a copy, if you like. I wanted you to try and kill everyone so that Light AND you would be exposed. If he assumed he would win, then he'd say his goodbyes to the others, which he so kindly did without any prompting on my end."

Mello passed the book to Blake, who took it to the officers, pressing against them so they could continue pointing their weapons at Light in case he made a run for it. Once they were all situated, Mogi approached Kira, irises pools of liquid steel.

He took out his handcuffs and barely touched them to Light's wrist before he pulled away quickly. Jerking back, he pressed his hands on the metal garage port-like thing, panting heavily. Turning to glare at Shika, he reached for his watch trying not to alert anyone to what he was doing, which was stalling.

"I am Kira. I am the god that this world needs! Who else would have continued on even after L started working on trying to find out who Kira was? Who else would have been able to get this far? No one! Only I could do it, only I could liberate the people from fear of being robbed, raped, killed, and worse! Who out there was willing to cleanse the earth of the scum of the world?! I AM Kira! I am justice!"

"No," L droned. "You are an insane human, a child wielding a loaded gun. You are no god."

Teethed clenched, the student opened his watch, pulling out a pen from his pocket. He hurried to write the name down –Shika Fauxe-, but was shot in the shoulder. The one holding the smoking weapon was none other than Matsuda. He had tears of anger in his eyes.

"What about Raye Pember? Ukita? All those other FBI agents, and cops that died?"

"Matsuda, you idiot! Don't you see what I'm trying to do?!"

Again, Light went to scribble the letters using his other hand and his own blood. More shots rang out, hurting Shika's ears badly. Light had his hand shot, his stomach, leg, and more. He knelt down as blood ran down his body in fast flowing streams. With his final ounce of strength, he darted outside, leaving a trail of crimson in his wake. Veronica's eyes glowed red, and she watched him go like a hungry cat.

"Shika," L said sternly.

She looked down, coughing a little to hide her embarrassment. "Sorry.. Someone else has to get him, or he might not live long enough to go to jail."

 **Light:**

Kira struggled to keep walking, hand holding a gunshot wound in his side. The blood just kept flowing out of him. His head was really dizzy. Leaning against a chain-link fence and looking at the setting sun, he saw kids playing on the blacktop. Pushing off the fence, he walked on, stumbling on his own feet.

Eventually, he came to stairs outside of a structure. He couldn't tell what it was because his eyesight was failing him. Everything was a blurry mess, and he simply lay on the steps, looking at the sky.

"This has been fun, Light, but it's over, and you lost."

The Shinigami wrote Light Yagami's name in his Death Note, closing it and spreading his wings. As he took off with a strong stroke of his wings, Light gasped silently, having no energy to fully react to the sharp pain in his chest. His eyes widened, then relaxed. His breath hitched in his throat and he grew still.

Kira was no more.


	63. Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

_**Still not over, folks.**_

 _ **Happy Otaku Day, December 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **.**_

 _ **RIP: In loving memory of the many pens that died to finish this story. They will be deeply missed.**_

 **Shika:**

"That was some ride," I said, adjusting the sunglasses on my face to hide my red eyes.

"It was interesting," agreed L.

We stood around as Misa was taken into custody after forcing her to give up her Death Note so Rem wouldn't stick around longer than need be. I promised she wouldn't be put to death if the God of Death didn't kill everyone involved in the Kira case. It was Light's fault, and he was already dead.

"I believe this is where Neches and I take our leave."

"I must know, were you Beyond Birthday all along?"

Turning to look directly at the detective, I saw the concern there he was trying to keep covered up inside himself. I smiled softly.

"Yes, L. Beyond died January 21st. He isn't alive anymore."

"Then why was his paperwork incomplete?"

"Did you ever stop to think about what you would do in BB's place?"

"Only once."

"I'll tell you what I think he did. The L.A. BB Murder case was an attempt on his part to outsmart you, and he had to be intelligent to come up with something like that. You figured out that the heart attacks were done by someone and weren't random on your own. Beyond could have realized that, too. You noticed he was killing criminals. Again, so could have BB. Once he realized his days were numbered, he could have set up false documents and stuff for you to find in your own time. He saw one last chance to stump the great L. Either you come to the conclusion that he's still alive, you couldn't necessarily prove it, or you would assume he's dead. You'd never get enough evidence in both instances, so in a way, he's won."

Ryuzaki took a minute to consider that. "Why are you telling me this speculation?"

"For comfort. I know what it's like to constantly bite my nails as worry consumes my insides slowly, doubt curling its way into the pit of your stomach and eat away at your resolve. I can see it in your face. If you were to go on thinking Beyond was alive, you'd wait for his next appearance like I did with the Axlum. You may never find complete peace, but at least I can ease you into it."

L may never admit it, but his posture relaxed more, and his eyes returned to their usual dull color.

"Hey, V- er, Shika," Blake called, coming towards us. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Sure. Excuse me." We stepped aside. "So, what's up? Ready to go?"

"..Actually, I wanted to tell you I'm staying here in this dimension."

My brow knit in confusion. He wanted to stay in the Death Note world?

"What? Why?"

"I want to see if I can't turn things around, you know? Posing as Eraldo Coil gave me an insight to what was out there. I could help people like L and the Task Force. I may not be super smart and I get angry easily, but something just clicked in me and switched a few gears."

The brunette put his hand on my shoulder in a final farewell. His irises shone with a twinkle I had ever seen before. Instead of imposing, he now stood differently. There was just something about him that had overall morphed, which made me believe he truly wanted to do some good in the world even if it wasn't his home. We exchanged smiles for a moment then nodded. I opened my mouth and sank fangs in his neck. Focusing, I released him from his obligation to obey me.

"Good luck," I told him.

"Thanks."

As he ran off, Mello, Matt, and Near came to me. The blonde finished his chocolate, wadding the wrapper in his hand. The redhead had his new phone out, playing a demo game or something. The almost-albino held a tiny, rubber robot that was green in color.

"I commend you for coming up with a swift move in which exposed the two Kiras."

"Thank you, but it wasn't really my plan." They all blinked. "I got it from a manga series I read a while ago. It was a lot like the situation we had here: A detective trying to solve the mass murdering by unimaginable means with the help of the local police department. The killer ended up being someone close to the cops themselves."

"That's so weird," Matt marveled. "So you used a book's plot to end the investigation in the real world? Man, I should go from video games to novels."

"You wouldn't make it two hours," Mello commented.

"I think I'd last at least a week."

"No you wouldn't."

"Guys," I reprimanded. "I'll miss hanging out with you all. You three could make for an interesting sitcom show or something."

Ruffling the chocoholics' and gamers' hair, I patted the smallest kid's head affectionately. They were like my dorky younger brothers, but I had to move on eventually. Because the case ended, they'd go back to Wammy's, L would find a new case, and the Task Force would have to take care of their district.

"See you later."

* * *

Neches wasn't allowed to go to the Yellow Box, so Watari came to get L and I to take us back to the Task Force's headquarters. Since the Kira investigation was over, that meant it would soon only be occupied by L, his butler/caretaker, and possibly Blake.

When we arrived, Neches was standing outside the building, our bags already packed and ready to go. A forlorn feeling hit my heart as the reality of things finally settled in. There I was, in the dreams of ever otaku, and I was about to go to who-knows-where. I probably would've stayed there, but something forced my hand to open the door, step out, and walk towards my purple-eyed companion. He also seemed depressed about our departure.

"All set?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Oh."

L watched us, dissecting what we felt without even trying. His thumb rested on his lip in that childish way of his, a quirk I had became accustomed to viewing. He would have probably offered a solution, trying to keep us in his structure, perhaps, but I could feel Shun driving me off, forcing his will over my own.

Saying nothing, I grabbed Neches' hand and dragged him behind me. Going to the park, I didn't stop until we were hidden by the trees. I sighed heavily, resting my palm over my chest like it hurt. Wincing, I made myself stand tall and attempted to ignore the throbbing so as not to give the Xucmbij satisfaction.

"Where are we going?"

"..I don't know."

"But you're the one who makes vortexes all the time. Don't you have to know where we're going for it to work?"

"Well I don't know where he wants us to go."

"Have you tried asking him yet?"

"And listen to that jackass?"

"Lo-"

"Sh," I silenced him, putting my finger to my lips. "I have an idea in mind."

Huffing slightly, he crossed his arms and pouted. I concentrated on the hues of greens and blues that constantly swirled around together like a toxic blend of chemicals, and the faint light they put out. It took a second, but it manifested all the same.

"After you," I offered.

 **Unknown:**

I couldn't help but giggle. L, that girl was right. He'd never know if I was still alive. Beyond Birthday was alive and kicking, and he was still pretty smart. I had won~ I had won~ Backup has won~

Ah hahahahahahahahhaha!

Dying of laughter, I lay on my back on top of a roof not too far from where the detective was currently at. It was a large place with a lot of windows for me to look through. As it was, my old mentor had no clue as to what happened to me, to Beyond.

My amusement was cut short as something occurred to me.

What would I do now? Since I was technically dead –and I didn't want L ever knowing- I had nowhere to be and nothing to do. Why hadn't I just stayed in the correction facility? Because Beyond would've lost! But what's the point of winning if you can't rub the loser's face in it?

No, bad Backup! He must never see you. NEVER. I had to keep winning, keep hiding from the public eye. Killing was always an option, but that would attract attention. My mind argued fiercely with my desires, both fighting tooth and claw. Being insane was harder than it looked.

Sitting on the roof, I tore myself up inside, little metaphorical bits flying this way and that as though two tom cats were defending their territory. I dissolved into hiccupping laughter and despairing wails. My fingernails scratched at myself, and I bit my lips until they bled. This would be my life, forever tormented by my own hands.

Happy Birthday, Backup. Happy Birthday..


	64. Epilogue

**~5 Years Later~**

Estela Soledad exited a vortex with two prominent colors moving within its bounds, pulling her gray hood off of her white hair, which now reached her lower back. Her blue eyes swept the area around her. Things looked the same as they had a few years prior to her return.

A small smile rested on her lips lightly as she used a spell to help her track the people she had left behind so rudely in the past.

The first one she came upon was Blake. Veronica had explained that the former Axlum member had stayed behind to start over his life. He had apparently became a renowned detective, taking L's mantle as Eraldo Coil. He had trained at Wammy's for some time before studying under L himself. He had built up his own credibility, and occasionally worked with Ryuzaki in some cases.

Coming to a rather large building that looked like a very spacious hotel, she opened the glass doors and stepped inside. After climbing the stairs, she found his floor, making her way to his bedroom.

Estela entered the room without knocking. Blake turned around, expecting someone else.

"Watar-.." He stared at her in confusion. "Who are you?"

"Oh, right. I guess you forgot me. I was the girl you kidnapped and tortured until Veronica broke me out."

Slow recognition overshadowed his expression.

"..Oh."

"Yeah."

"..So, how've you been?"

"Decent."

He suddenly perked up. "Is Veronica here? Did she come with you?"

It was her turn to grow quiet.

"No. She told me to check in on you all for her. She really wanted to be here, but she couldn't make the trip."

"Ah.. Can I help you with anything while you're here?"

"Well, Ronnie told me to tell you she missed you and the others, and wanted me to visit the boys, L, you, and Watari. Can you tell me where they are?"

"Of course."

"Before that, tell me about L. How's he been doing?"

"Good. He's solved more investigations than I could count. After the Kira case ended, people were trying to give him money and praise, and others attempted to have him killed several times. I used to work as his body guard until the heat died down."

"Sounds like fun."

"How about you? What've you and Veronica done?"

"..I'm fine, and that last time I checked, Veronica was more grounded than she usually is. I guess it's for the best that she found some kind of peace after all these years. I'll get going now."

* * *

Wammy's was the next stop Estela made. A talk with Roger revealed Matt had died in a motorcycle accident, which had devastated Mello. He was traveling a lot, but frequently visited his childhood friend's grave especially on the anniversary each year.

Near, however, grew up to be the second best detective known, and some argued he was better than L. He took after his mentor, only taking cases he was personally interested in, though none compared to the Kira investigation.

Realizing she had no one else to see, she went to a cemetery in the Kanto region of Japan. Going row by row, she searched for a certain headstone. Upon finding it –under a large sakura tree in bloom- she knelt in the dirt, setting a single white rose on top of the grave. She ran a hand across the words and let a soft smile form once more.

Light Yagami

Feb. 28, 1986 – Jan. 28, 2008

' _He who shines is at risk of becoming dull.'_

Covering her mouth, tears sprung into Estela's eyes. They fell silently as she tried to stop crying, but it was no use. After all Veronica had done, she couldn't come back to see those who made her happiest. She wasn't sad about Light's death –it happened in Death Note anyways- but instead cried for herself.

Snow began drifting around her, gently settling on her face as she turned it up to look at the gray sky. _'Don't cry alone,'_ it seemed to say. Closing her eyelids, she let the soft tickle and caress her face. Her sobs settled into quiet sniffles.

"I won't cry anymore," she said softly. "But I still miss Meiah and Neches, too."

 **End**


	65. Author's Note

_**So, the next book is up. It's called**_ **There's A Monster In The Pasta** _ **. It picks up where this one left off. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the next installment in the series.**_

 _ **~Lavish~**_


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